Suspicious drone detected above Royal Air Force base in England

Suspicious drone activity has been detected above a Royal Air Force base in England, AFP has learned.

American personnel had to take shelter at Lakenheath Air Base, a major military installation hosting American forces in the east of the United Kingdom, after the report of “suspicious activity involving unauthorized drones”.

“This evening, US Air Force security forces responded to suspicious activity involving unauthorized drones over RAF Lakenheath. No personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected,” a US Air Force spokesperson was quoted as saying by Sky News.

Precedents

On September 27, British police intervened near another base, that of Fairford, used by the United States in their war against Iran, after the report of “three suspicious vehicles”, in which they found no explosive device but gasoline “in quantity”. In this case, two Britons were charged - and one placed in preventive detention - for endangering national security by the British anti-terrorist police, who also pointed out the responsibility of Iran.

In October, two Latvian nationals were arrested after entering the Molesworth base in the south-east of England, which notably houses NATO and American army intelligence bodies, before being released on conditions.