A Swarm of unidentified drones has been spotted flying over three separate RAF air bases, the US Air Force has announced.
A fleet of “unmanned aerial vehicles” have been seen above the RAF’s £40m air base which will house US nuclear weapons.
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Russian drone (photo) Credit: Reuters
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Aerial photo of RAF Lakenheath, home of the United States Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing Credit: Getty
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The base houses US F-35 aircraft capable of dropping B61-12 nuclear bombs Credit: US Department of Defense
The incidents, which took place between November 20 and 22, saw “small unmanned aerial systems” over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.
The US Air Force, which has fighter jets on standby at the bases, said it was unclear at this stage whether the drones were considered hostile.
A spokesman for US Air Forces Europe said: “We can confirm that small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were observed near and over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell between 20 and 22 November.
“The number of drones varied and they were of different sizes [and] configuration.
“UAS were actively monitored and installation managers determined that none of the intrusions affected base residents or critical infrastructure”
Unconfirmed reports suggest that F-15E Strike Eagles were deployed to search for drones that were affecting flight operations at the base.
The US Air Force declined to comment on the claims, but said it reserved the “right to protect” the installations.
The spokesman added: “To protect operational security, we do not discuss our specific force protection measures, but reserve the right to protect the installation.”
RAF Lakenheath is a critical military facility that houses the U.S. Air Force’s only fourth- and fifth-generation fighter wings in Europe, in addition to being home to F-35A and F-15E tactical aircraft, military website The War Zone reports.
It comes after Vladimir Putin issued a new threat to the West this week.
Putin launches ‘one of the biggest airstrikes’ on Ukraine with drones and missiles as Poland raises planes
The furious dictator warned he could attack British and US military targets in his biggest threat yet after Ukraine fired NATO missiles into Russian territory.
In a televised address on Thursday, Putin said military facilities inside the UK and US could become valid targets for Russian forces in direct response to Ukraine’s use of US-made ATACMS and UK-made Storm Shadow missiles.
He said: “Russia is considered authorized to use weapons against military installations of countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russia.
“From this moment, as we have repeatedly emphasized, the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, acquired elements of a global nature.”
Earlier this year, the Pentagon Papers revealed that the US intended to store nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.
Comprehensive documents from the US Department of Defense procurement database have revealed plans for a “nuclear mission” to take place “soon” at an RAF base.
They showed the Pentagon had ordered new equipment for the base, including ballistic shields designed to protect military personnel from “high-value assets” attacks.
RAF Lakenheath is expected to accept B61-12 gravity bombs which have a variable yield of up to 50 kilotons.
The nuclear warheads will be up to three times more powerful than the deadly Hiroshima bomb at the air base, according to the procurement contracts.
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The US removed nuclear missiles from the UK in 2008 when the threat of the Cold War was believed to have subsided.
RAF Lakenheath has been operated by the US Air Force under British regulations and laws for decades.
The agreement allows the US to have a home for its nuclear weapons that can be deployed in F-35 fighter jets.
Russia has previously said it would consider the US deployment of weapons in Britain an “escalation” that would be met with “compensatory countermeasures”.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said before the latest announcement: “If this step is ever taken, we will look at it as an escalation, as a step towards escalation that would take things in a direction that is completely opposite to solving the urgent issue withdrawing their nuclear weapons from European countries.
“This practice and its evolution compel us to take compensatory countermeasures designed to reliably protect the security interests of our country and its allies.”
The return of the weapons to the United Kingdom is part of a huge push by NATO to develop and upgrade nuclear facilities around the world in preparation for a potential escalation of fighting.
The Pentagon has not confirmed that it plans to store nuclear weapons in the UK.
A spokesman said: “The United States routinely upgrades its military facilities in allied countries. Unclassified administrative budget documents often accompany such activities.
“These documents do not predict, nor are they intended to reveal, any specific location or details about the base.
“It is US policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any general or specific location.”
Meanwhile, villagers near the US military base in West Suffolk fear they could become Vladimir Putin’s target if bombs are stored there.
In the event of WW3, US Air Force fighter jets based in Great Britain would be called upon.
But the villagers are worried that their small community could find itself at the center of a major international conflict, with tensions rising over Putin’s war with Ukraine and Hamas’ attack on Israel.
One was angry: “I’m afraid we will become one of the first targets if this conflict escalates.”
“The enemy will want to neutralize any threat coming from the Americans and us and may attack first.
“It’s not worth thinking about.
“This is a small happy village and we are used to Americans being here. “But there is always the risk that if they do get involved in a war in the Middle East, we will inevitably be drawn in – and military bases like Lakenheath will become a key target for any enemy.”
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RAF Lakenheath is located near the pretty village of the same name Credit: AFP
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USAF Soldier Using Local Post Office Credit: Terry Harris
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