Mysterious Drones Spotted Near Three U.S. Air Force Bases in the UK

Between Nov. 20 and Nov. 25, U.S. Air Force personnel claimed sightings of small drones close to RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Feltwell in the United Kingdom. Officials informed Military.com that the different-sized and configured drones were seen acting in what looked to be a coordinated manner.

Col. David Herndon, U.S. Air Forces in Europe spokesman, said, "We retain the right to protect our installations; we do not discuss specific force protection measures to safeguard operational security."

The Air Force reports that the events, under close observation by U.S. and UK defense officials, did not affect base people or facilities. The Ministry of Defence of Britain stressed its strong counter-drone security capacity.

The observations reflect similar behavior recorded close to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in December 2023 and increased monitoring concerns, including the Chinese spy balloon that passed North America in early 2023.

Former NORAD commander Retired Gen. Victor E. Ren Stuart Jr. said drone activity near sensitive areas creates significant security and safety concerns. "It runs anywhere from nuisance to real safety to real national security concerns," he said.

Officials believe these events will rise as drones become more common, and better countermeasures and alertness at defense facilities will be needed.

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