The key facts
- The US Air Force reported responding to 'suspicious unauthorised drone activity' over RAF Lakenheath on Friday evening
- According to the US Air Force, personnel, aircraft and infrastructure were unharmed
- The incident occurred amid heightened security measures at US bases in the UK following the September incident at RAF Fairford
Incident over the Suffolk base
The US Air Force said that on Friday evening it had responded to 'suspicious unauthorised drone activity' over RAF Lakenheath base in Suffolk. According to a US Air Force spokesperson, neither personnel, nor aircraft, nor infrastructure were harmed. There were unverified reports that sirens had sounded at the base, which, according to residents, could be heard from a neighbouring village. The UK Ministry of Defence was asked for comment.
Statements from authorities and the MP
The MP for West Suffolk, Nick Timothy, said he had been in contact with base authorities and was told that 'there is no threat to the public and the incident has now been resolved.' He also urged everyone to report any suspicious or unusual occurrences to the authorities, given the elevated threat level.
Context of heightened security
The incident occurred amid heightened security activity at US bases in the UK following the incident at RAF Fairford in September, in which, according to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Iran played a role. Police reported that petrol, but no explosives, was found during a search of vans near the base; two men have been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service over alleged involvement. Iran denied responsibility, and in October the US removed all its bombers from the base.
Aircraft movements and Downing Street's position
Earlier this week, at least 12 US Air Force aircraft took off from the neighbouring RAF Mildenhall base, including two Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling aircraft: one, it is reported, headed for Germany, while the other landed at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow. The Wall Street Journal reported that the takeoff was a response to a new threat from Iran, but this claim has not been independently confirmed. Earlier this week, Downing Street insisted that British airbases are safe and that their protection is 'priority number one.' RAF Lakenheath hosts the US Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing ('Liberty Wing') — the largest US fighter grouping in Europe, with nearly 7,000 service members and four combat squadrons.
Image source, Getty Images 
