UK Says Military Bases Remain Safe, Cites Close Coordination With Allies

The UK said on Tuesday that its military bases remained safe, adding that the government was working closely with police and allies to protect them.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that protecting the country’s military bases was “a top priority” and that security measures were kept under constant review.

London is investing more than 2 billion pounds in air defense and counter-drone capabilities, the spokesman said. Asked whether he was confident the UK’s military bases were safe, he replied yes.

The comments come amid commercial flight-tracking data that showed at least 10 Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Monday.

Five aircraft flew to Germany, another to Scotland, and four to Spain.

The latest aircraft movements follow heightened security around U.S. military facilities in the UK after an incident at RAF Fairford in September that UK authorities have linked to Iran.

Asked about the KC-135R Stratotanker movement, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) told The Epoch Times on Tuesday that aircraft regularly move between installations for operational reasons, but it declined to comment on force protection measures.

“Due to operational security, we will not provide further information on movement of assets,” a European Command spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the command could not discuss specific force protection measures.

“We constantly assess a variety of factors that determine what measures are implemented or modified,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath remained vigilant and were working closely with British authorities to ensure the safety and security of U.S. personnel, British and U.S. civilian staff, contractors, and their families.

A UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the ministry doesn’t “routinely comment on the activity of other nations.”

“Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements,” the spokesperson said.

RAF Fairford Incident

The UK Crown Prosecution Service announced on Oct. 27 that two men had been charged under the National Security Act following an incident at RAF Fairford in southwest England.

Mohmed Ahmad Abdulkarim, 24, was charged with engaging in conduct likely to materially assist a foreign intelligence service between Aug. 31 and Sept. 28. Nouman Essghir, 25, who is a British national, was charged with entering a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK.

The charges stem from an incident on Sept. 27, when Counter Terrorism Policing said officers responded to reports that three suspicious vehicles were heading toward the Gloucestershire air base in the early hours of the morning.

Five British nationals aged between 23 and 25 were arrested following the incident.

Burnham told Parliament on Oct. 12 that the government had assessed the activity at RAF Fairford was “highly likely” to have been coordinated in Iran and “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.”

Tehran’s ambassador to the UK denied the allegation in a statement posted to social media on Sept. 28.

Following the RAF Fairford incident, the Pentagon removed its B-1 bomber aircraft from the base.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sept. 27 that those involved had been looking to do “big damage.”

Asked on Oct. 5 whether Iran-linked actors may have brought armed drones into the UK, Trump said: “I can’t tell you that. But if they did, they’ll suffer greatly.”

Earlier this month, European Command launched a theatre-wide security awareness campaign to strengthen force protection across U.S. military installations in Europe.

Announced on Nov. 2, the initiative urges personnel to remain vigilant in public places, promptly report suspicious activity, strengthen digital security by limiting the sharing of sensitive information online, and avoid predictable travel routines.

“By embracing a proactive security mindset and enhancing collective vigilance, we build a stronger force protection environment that keeps us safe and ready,” the commander of European Command, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said when announcing the initiative.

USEUCOM added that it continually evaluates physical security conditions in coordination with host-nation authorities and NATO allies.

Reuters contributed to this report.