More unidentified drones spotted flying near US air bases in Suffolk
USAF says it is monitoring airspace over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell after overnight sightings
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.More unidentified drones have been spotted flying near US air bases in the UK.
A United States Air Force (USAF) spokesperson on Tuesday confirmed the sightings of a small number of drones again flying near US Air Force bases in eastern England.
USAF said it was monitoring the airspace over East Anglia bases RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell after the drones were seen overnight.
It comes just days after USAF confirmed that a small number of “unmanned aerial systems” were spotted in the vicinity of and over the three bases between Wednesday and Sunday.
UK authorities are working to ensure the safety of the sites.
USAF has not identified who is believed to be behind the incidents.
Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell, located close to one another in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, are Royal Air Force bases used primarily by the US Air Force.
Lakenheath is home to the 48th Fighter Wing, which the US Air Force describes as the foundation of its combat capability in Europe. Mildenhall hosts the 100th Air Refueling Wing, and Feltwell is a hub for housing, schools and other services.
In a statement, a spokesperson for USAF in Europe said: “We can confirm there were sightings yesterday (Monday) during night-time hours and can only confirm that the number fluctuated and varied between the bases over the night.
“Since 20 November, there has been no impact to residents or infrastructure and they have not been identified as hostile.
“However, they are still continuously being monitored to ensure the safety and security of the installations.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “We take threats seriously and maintain robust measures at defence sites.
“We are supporting the US Air Force response.”
While it is unclear whether the drones have hostile intent, the incidents come amid the most significant escalation of hostilities in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
Last week, for the first time, Ukraine struck targets inside Russia with intermediate range missiles supplied by the US and Britain after President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorised use of the weapons.
In response, Russia launched a new intermediate range ballistic missile at Ukraine, and President Vladimir Putin said his country had the right to strike nations that allow their weapons to be used against Russia.
On Tuesday, Russia staged their largest ever drone attack on Ukraine overnight before expelling a British diplomat and accused him of spying.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments