At least ten US Air Force refueling tankers departed from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Monday, marking the second such relocation of American military assets from British soil in recent weeks. Tracking data analyzed by Verify confirmed the departure of these KC-135 aircraft, which were observed flying toward American bases in Europe, with one landing at Prestwick Airport in Scotland. At least 10 US Air Force refuelling aircraft left a second airbase in Britain on Monday. Using public tracking site Flightradar24 Verify has been able to see USAF KC-135 tankers leaving Mildenhall throughout Monday. The first KC-135 then returned to Mildenhall before heading east and landing at Spangdahlem airbase in Germany. The other aircraft – having flown circuits over Aviano airbase in Italy – flew on to and landed at Spangdahlem. Downing Street has insisted that UK airbases are safe following this decision by the US to move some military aircraft to locations in Europe. The spaces from which the public can photograph aircraft remain open.
While some reports have suggested these movements are a response to potential threats from Iran, officials have not independently verified that specific claim.
The departures follow a similar withdrawal of US bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which occurred after a security incident involving suspicious vehicles identified in September. A major incident was declared after three suspicious vans were seen near that base in September. It later emerged that the US had pulled its bombers out of the base and returned them to America.
That situation remains under active investigation, with counter-terror police having arrested eight men and two British nationals appearing in court last month in relation to an alleged Iran-linked plot.
Regarding the movements at RAF Mildenhall, an Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated that they do not routinely comment on the activities of other nations, noting that aircraft and assets are relocated regularly based on operational requirements. Similarly, a US Air Force representative mentioned that their aircraft rotate between installations for various reasons, including training and real-world needs, while adhering to established basing and overflight agreements with allies.
Lord Ricketts, the former UK National Security Adviser, noted that RAF Mildenhall houses large, vulnerable tanker aircraft, suggesting that moving personnel away from potential threats reflects an “abundance of caution.” During a public appearance on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was questioned about Iranian threats against American diplomats and confirmed that the US addresses potential risks by moving personnel away from danger zones when threats cross a specific threshold. According to former UK National Security Adviser Lord Ricketts, Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are talking about an airbase which houses these large tanker aircraft. Of course, they are large targets, an airbase has a long perimeter, so they are inevitably vulnerable. And so, when we see anything that could pose a potential threat beyond a certain threshold, we’re going to address it.
Downing Street has maintained that security at UK bases remains a top priority, emphasizing close coordination with police and allies to protect military sites. Education Secretary Lucy Powell echoed this sentiment, asserting that the government takes base safety seriously and acts upon security intelligence as needed. Despite these reassignments, has observed little evidence of increased security or restricted access at RAF Mildenhall, where public photography remains permitted. She added that “we take the security and safety of our bases incredibly seriously” and “we will always act on security intelligence when we need to”. He added: “Nobody knows at this stage what this information was.
The base currently hosts approximately 3,000 military personnel and serves as a critical hub for refueling and maintenance. It has frequently functioned as a staging point for aircraft and equipment headed to the Middle East, including the deployment of tankers during past operations involving Iran. An aircraft that arrived at Prestwick on Monday belonged to the Nebraska Air National Guard, which officials suggested may have been a routine stopover during transit back to the United States. About 3,000 military personnel are stationed at RAF Mildenhall, which is around 80 miles (130km) north of London. Including Donald Trump, have often used it, the base is mostly used for refuelling and maintenance operations – flights carrying US presidents.
As of Tuesday morning, US military aircraft were still visible at Prestwick Airport. Authorities continue to emphasize that operational security prevents the disclosure of specific details regarding the movement of these assets, leaving the broader context of the redeployments to ongoing official assessments of potential security thresholds.
