Downing Street has insisted RAF Fairford is safe despite the United States withdrawing fighter jets from the Gloucestershire base over security concerns. At least 10 B-1 bombers were removed from the base on Sunday and sent back to the United States.
Reports in the US said a new threat had been identified following the arrest of six suspects over a suspected terror plot targeting the base. The aircraft stationed at Fairford had been used in strikes against Iran since March.
Government response
Asked whether the UK government believes RAF Fairford is safe, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "Yes." But he refused to provide further detail, stating: "We are not going to comment on foreign nations' military operations."
"As the Defence Secretary (Wes Streeting) said last week, we have tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world," the spokesman added. "I'll just point to the fact that the professionalism and quality of our police, defence, and security services relating to the incident at RAF Fairford have been publicly praised by the President of the US."
Asked if that meant there was no good reason for the US to pull bombers out of RAF Fairford, the PM's spokesman said: "So as I say, I'm not going to comment on foreign nations' military operations, that's for them to speak to."
Pentagon confirms withdrawal
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that aircraft stationed at the base had been moved. Military experts said the decision will impact Washington's capacity to strike Iran.
A Pentagon spokesperson said: "While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States."
The withdrawal of planes came a week after counter terror police opened an investigation into an incident on September 27. Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, who were arrested near the base have since been released on bail. A sixth man, a dual UK-Iranian national aged 25, was arrested last week. He has also been released on bail.
Local reaction and political response
Locals have voiced their relief after the planes were flown out. Tristan Wilkinson, who lives nearby, told the BBC: "The last few months have been particularly difficult, the noise levels have been high and they've been operating 24 hours a day."
And Geoff Lawson, who lives in Kempsford, said: "I'm quite pleased they're gone because it's been quite noisy." He said recent months have been very invasive.
US officials told the New York Times the bombers had been removed after more specific details about threats to the base emerged over the weekend. The suspects were arrested after three suspicious vans were spotted near RAF Fairford. No explosives were found inside, although police did discover a quantity of petrol.
Ezra Cohen, a defence official during Donald Trump's first administration, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The B-1 bomber is a strategic asset, and we're going to take steps to protect it, from all sorts of threats." He said the move will increase the cost of striking Iran, as aircraft will either have to fly from the US or use other bases in Europe.
Following the US withdrawals, Lib Dem defence spokesman James MacCleary said: "The decision by the United States to withdraw from RAF Fairford is a deeply concerning development that raises serious concerns about security standards across UK military bases." He called on Mr Streeting to provide an update on a comprehensive security review of all military bases following a security breach at RAF Brize Norton in June.
On Thursday last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel had handed Britain intelligence about the suspected terror plot. And US President Donald Trump has previously said he was "disappointed" after the suspects were released on bail, stating: "We were involved in (the investigation), but as you know, your fellow countrymen let them go. Well, they didn't let them go. They put them out on bail."
