The U.S. Air Force moved more than a dozen aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England as officials assessed a developing security threat, U.S. officials said Tuesday. The threat was reportedly linked to Iran.
While the situation was being evaluated, the base was placed under Force Protection Condition Charlie, the military’s second-highest security alert. The level indicates a likely terrorist threat to military personnel or facilities.
Flight-tracking information and open-source analysts identified 13 U.S. aircraft leaving the base late Monday. Nine KC-135 tanker planes were sent to airfields in Scotland, Germany and Spain. Three CV-22B Ospreys moved to nearby RAF Lakenheath, which has reinforced aircraft shelters.
A U.S. official described the relocations as precautionary. Some of the aircraft were deployed to the region on rotation, while others were based in the United Kingdom permanently.
It is the second significant movement of U.S. aircraft out of Britain in less than two months. In early October, the Air Force removed heavy bombers from RAF Fairford after British counterterrorism police stopped three suspicious vans heading toward the base on Sept. 27. Two men have since been charged under the United Kingdom’s National Security Act.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department also unsealed indictments against three Iranian-backed operatives accused of taking part in coordinated terrorist plots in Europe, including one involving RAF Fairford.
RAF Mildenhall hosts the 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only U.S. tanker wing permanently based in Europe. Its KC-135 aircraft support allied refueling and long-range strike missions across the region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States regularly shifts military forces around the world for various reasons. A Downing Street spokesperson said British air bases remain secure and that the U.K. and U.S. continually share intelligence about potential threats.
