Key facts
- All US B-1 bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have returned to their home bases in the US.
- The relocation was due to operational security concerns, according to the Pentagon.
- The move followed a security incident near RAF Fairford on September 27, involving three suspicious vans and masked men.
- Five men were arrested in connection with the incident and subsequently released on bail.
- British authorities have not established that the suspects were targeting the airbase or US aircraft.
- RAF Fairford has been used by the US for defensive operations involving Iran.
All US B-1 bombers that had been deployed to RAF Fairford in the UK have been relocated back to their home bases in the United States, the Pentagon confirmed. The decision was attributed to operational security, with the Pentagon stating that operational security prevented earlier disclosure of the move.
The relocation comes days after a security incident near the airbase on September 27, which led to the arrest of five men. British police were alerted by a farmer who reported suspicious activity involving three vans and a group of masked men. Approximately 85 homes were evacuated during the operation.
While bomb disposal specialists and forensic teams examined the vehicles, police later confirmed that no explosives were found, although a quantity of petrol was recovered. The five suspects, all British nationals aged between 23 and 25 from the London area, were subsequently released on bail as the investigation continues.
Authorities have not established that the suspects were targeting the airbase, the US aircraft, or any specific military operation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a foreign actor may have been involved, while Iran has denied any connection to the incident.
RAF Fairford, a British-owned military base, has been used extensively by the US Air Force for decades as a forward operating location for its Global Strike Command. It has recently been utilized for US military operations involving Iran, with Britain authorizing defensive operations against Iranian missiles and launch sites from the base.