A police helicopter was forced to take emergency evasive action after being targeted by unidentified high-speed drones over RAF Lakenheath, a US air base in England, in November 2024. Newly released video and incident logs obtained by the Daily Mail reveal the encounter, which officials initially dismissed as a misidentified fighter jet, was far more alarming.
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) EC135 helicopter was conducting a routine patrol when it encountered multiple drones that appeared to pursue the aircraft. According to a Suffolk Police incident log, the pilots 'had to perform an emergency dive and described that they were pursued in the dive by two drones who matched their speed approx 165 knots and then pursued them for several minutes out of the area.' The log added that the pilots felt 'drones have targeted them and chased them off at approx 140 knots.'
A UK military source who viewed the helicopter's 30-minute infrared video said the footage shows one object performing a 'corkscrew move' that would be impossible for a fighter jet like an F-15. The source noted that the pilots never mentioned F-15s in their audio commentary, only discussing the drones and their manoeuvres.
The incident occurred amid weeks of drone sightings over US military bases in Suffolk and Norfolk, including RAF Feltwell, RAF Lakenheath, and RAF Mildenhall. Police logs from November 20-22, 2024, reported approximately 20 drones over the three bases, with descriptions suggesting they were not hobby drones. The UK Airprox Board had earlier attributed the close encounter to an F-15, but the police logs and video evidence contradict that conclusion.
