US Moves 13 Military Aircraft From Second UK Airbase as Iranian Threat Reports Trigger Heightened Security
The US military has relocated at least 13 aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England, including KC-135 aerial refueling tankers and CV-22 Osprey aircraft, with some transferred to military facilities in Germany, Spain and Scotland.
The movements followed reports of a potential Iranian threat, although US officials have not disclosed its exact nature or confirmed that every aircraft relocation was directly linked to Iran.
Security levels at RAF Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath were raised to FPCON Charlie, the second-highest US military force protection level.
The latest redeployment follows the earlier withdrawal of US B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford after a suspected Iran-linked security incident in September.
The United States has described its actions as precautionary security measures, while British authorities maintain that military aircraft regularly move between bases for operational reasons.