The US Air Force issued a temporary shelter-in-place order at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk on Friday after security forces detected what officials described as “suspected unauthorised drone activity” over the base.
A US Air Force spokesperson told Sky News that security forces had responded to the activity but that no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected. The spokesperson said the Air Force continues to work closely with its “host nation counterparts” — the UK — to ensure the safety of US service members, civilian contractors and their families.
Sky News reported seeing a copy of the alert sent to personnel at the base, headed in capital letters with the words “REAL WORLD” in red text. The message instructed staff to “seek the nearest shelter-in-place room.”
Local MP Nick Timothy 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 base has since returned to normal operation. No details have yet been released about the origin of the drones or who may have been operating them.
Part of a wider pattern
The incident follows a string of security episodes at British airbases hosting American forces. On Monday, the US military evacuated more than a dozen warplanes from RAF Mildenhall — located close to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk — amid reports of a security threat linked to Iran.
Other recent events include reports of Iranian operatives allegedly plotting a terror attack on RAF bases including RAF Fairford, and a separate incident in which several American air tankers were moved from RAF Mildenhall over a possible Iran-linked threat.
There is no evidence at this stage linking Friday’s drone activity to Iran or to the earlier incidents. Authorities have not released further information on the cause of the alert.
