US Air Force Removes All Bombers from UK RAF Fairford Base
The US withdraws about a dozen B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford back to America following a security incident involving three suspicious vehicles.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The US has withdrawn all B-1 bombers from the RAF Fairford military base in the UK.
- The relocation follows a security incident on September 27 involving three suspicious vehicles.
- Six men have been arrested on terror-related charges and subsequently released on bail.
- Sources indicate the move was an operational military decision rather than a political one.
The United States military has pulled all of its heavy bombers out of the RAF Fairford air base in the United Kingdom, following a high-profile security investigation led by counter-terrorism police in Gloucestershire.
A statement issued by a US defense official on Sunday confirmed that roughly a dozen B-1 bombers stationed at the British facility have been flown back to their home military stations across the United States. Although Washington did not explicitly cite a reason for the sudden withdrawal, the relocation comes in the wake of an incident on September 27 when police units were alerted to three suspicious vehicles operating near the perimeter of the airfield.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Initial police operations led to the arrest of five men on suspicion of terror-related offenses near the base, all of whom were later released on bail. A sixth suspect, identified as a British-Iranian national, was subsequently arrested in London and released on bail following further police inquiries.
RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire has served as a forward operating location for the United States Air Force (USAF) for decades. In recent months, the base has facilitated B-1 and B-52 bomber missions directed toward the Middle East after London approved a US request for defensive strikes against Iran. In July, Tehran officially stated that any foreign base utilized for acts of aggression against Iranian territory would be treated as a legitimate military target.
Whitehall sources have not disputed that the decision from Washington was a direct response to the September security breach at the airfield. Furthermore, sources informed the BBC that the relocation was executed as an operational military decision communicated directly between US and British defense counterparts, while the UK Ministry of Defence declined to issue an official comment.
Flight tracking services recorded the B-1 bombers departing from RAF Fairford on Sunday. In the days following the incident, Prime Minister Andy Burnham noted strong indications pointing toward potential involvement by Iran, a claim that Tehran has strongly denied. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated publicly that the breach clearly involved foreign actors, and US President Donald Trump expressed surprise that the initial suspects were granted bail.
Source: BBC World
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