US Air Force security forces responded to suspected unauthorised drone activity over RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Friday, prompting a temporary shelter-in-place order for personnel at the base.
A US Air Force spokesperson told Sky News that security forces had responded to the suspected drone activity over the base, and confirmed that no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected. The spokesperson said the Air Force continues to work closely with its “host nation counterparts” – the United Kingdom – to ensure the safety and security of US service members, civilians, contractors and their families.
Sky News reported it had seen a copy of the alert sent to personnel at the base. The message was headed, in capital letters, with the words “REAL WORLD” in red, and instructed staff to “seek the nearest shelter-in-place room.”
Nick Timothy, the local MP, said on social media that he had been in contact with the authorities and that “there is no threat to the public and the incident is now resolved.”
The origin of the drones has not been disclosed, and no statement has yet been made as to who was operating them.
Part of a wider pattern
The alert follows a string of security incidents at RAF bases in the east of England that host American aircraft and personnel. On Monday, the US military evacuated more than a dozen warplanes from RAF Mildenhall – a sprawling airbase in Suffolk close to Lakenheath – amid reports of a security threat linked to Iran.
Other recent incidents have included reports of Iranian operatives plotting a terror attack on RAF bases including RAF Fairford, and a separate episode in which several American air tankers were abruptly moved from RAF Mildenhall over a possible Iran-linked threat.
As of now, RAF Lakenheath has returned to normal operations. Unlike the earlier incidents, which have been linked to Iran, there is no evidence so far connecting Friday’s drone activity to any specific actor.
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