US Moves Aircraft From RAF Mildenhall Over “Threat From Iran” – the Second UK Base Affected

The US military has moved aircraft away from a second air base in England after what it described as a threat from Iran. Two American refuelling tankers and several other aircraft that had been using RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk were sent to Germany and other locations on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It follows the removal of US B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire after a security incident there in September.

What we know about the threat

According to the report, the aircraft were moved “in the wake of a threat from Iran”. The exact nature of the threat to RAF Mildenhall is still being discussed by US officials.

Read more: Three Charged in US Over Alleged Iran-Linked Plot to Attack RAF Fairford

A US official said security at RAF Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath had been raised to Force Protection Condition (FPCON) Charlie. It is the second-highest level in the US military’s security system and is used when intelligence suggests some form of attack is likely.

What happened at RAF Fairford?

In September, five men were arrested outside RAF Fairford after a security incident, and two other people were later arrested on suspicion of helping Iranian intelligence. Much of what happened there has still not been explained publicly. The US later moved its B-1 bombers away from the base.

Fairford had been used by US bombers that carried out strikes on Iran. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last month that the activity at Fairford was “likely to have been coordinated in Iran”. Iran’s ambassador to the UK has denied any involvement in a plot against the base.

In July, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Fairford and any other base used to launch attacks on Iran were “legitimate targets”.

Why RAF Mildenhall matters

RAF Mildenhall is home to the US Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing, which flies tanker aircraft that refuel other planes in mid-air. RAF Lakenheath, a few miles away, is the largest US Air Force base in England and hosts F-35 and F-15 fighter jets.

What happens next

Neither the UK nor the US has said when the aircraft might return. The move comes during a period of heightened concern about the security impact of the US-Israel war on Iran. It also comes a day after a US Army soldier was arrested near Gloucester on suspicion of spying for Russia – a case police say is not linked to the Fairford plot.

Photo: Nilanka Sampath / Shutterstock (illustrative)