The TWZ Newsletter Weekly information and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy and foreign policy. At least two bases in England that house US Air Force aircraft are operating under enhanced security protocols, a US official told us on Monday afternoon. The official was answering our questions about what appeared to be unusual movements of aircraft leaving RAF Mildenhall. It is unclear what prompted these measures, how long they have been in place, or whether they are related to an ongoing investigation into whether Iran was behind a security incident at RAF Fairford in September that reportedly led to the hasty departure of B-1 Lancer bombers. “Enhanced force protection measures are in place at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall,” the official told us. “We constantly evaluate a variety of factors that determine what measures we institute or modify to protect our facilities, our people and their families. We are working closely with our host country counterparts to minimize the impacts of enhanced force protection activities and ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, their families and the local community.” The official declined to say what action was taken. “For operational security reasons, we did not discuss specific force protection measures,” the official added. RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath are major centers of the US Air Force. Mildenhall’s host unit is the 100th Air Refueling Wing, which operates KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. The base also hosts the Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, and the MC-130J Commando II special operations cargo aircraft. Lakenheath is home to the Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle and F-35A Lightning II aircraft. A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing rolls down a runway after landing at RAF Mildenhall, England, July 22, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Aidan Martinez Rosiere) Senior Airman Aidan Martinez Rosiere A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft, assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron, takes off for Atlantic Trident 25 at RAF Lakenheath, England, June 12, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Sierra Casteel) Airman 1st Class Sierra Casteel Both bases also host frequent transit flights to other locations. As we noted earlier in this article, the official was responding to our questions about unusual aircraft movements out of Mildenhall. They were first discovered by the open source flight tracking account @DefenceGeek. “Over the course of today, several US Air Force assets at RAF Mildenhall (EGUN) have made unannounced/unexpected movements to other locations, and several of those movements are currently on the move,” DefenseGeek wrote on (EGPK) – CV-22Bs have moved from Mildenhall to Lakenheath. It is still unclear if there is an ongoing exercise or information of a potential threat (following the incident at RAF Fairford)…” UPDATE: US assets at RAF Mildenhall Dispersing For those commenting and asking, no, the NOTAMs over RAF Mildenhall are not related to what is currently happening. The two NOTAMs are for Veterans Day (Wednesday) and Thanksgiving Day (late November). The current situation is not… — DefenseGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) November 9, 2026 DefenseGeek also noted that RAF Lakenheath posted a notice this morning on Facebook urging vigilance to detect and report drones. Are US assets dispersed at RAF Mildenhall? Over the course of today, several US Air Force assets at RAF Mildenhall (EGUN) have made unannounced/unexpected moves to other locations, and several of those moves are currently on the move. The first ones this morning I took over… pic.twitter.com/vVVA0cRljN — DefenseGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) November 9, 2026 “Our strongest security asset is an observer community,” RAF Lakenheath’s Facebook post read. “Remaining alert and reporting suspicious activity, including unauthorized drone activity, helps protect our Airmen, families and mission. If you see anything unusual in or around the Tri-Base area, please report it to law enforcement.” It is unclear what connection, if any, the Lakenheath post has to the force’s enhanced protection status. US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE) declined to discuss security measures. The command oversees U.S. Air Force operations in Europe and Africa. “U.S. Air Force aircraft rotate between installations and operating locations for a variety of reasons, including training and real-world requirements,” USAFE told us. “US military aircraft are hosted in accordance with access, basing and overflight agreements with our allies and partners. Due to the security of operations, we will not be providing further information on the movement of assets.” The departures from Mildenhall came amid a continuing flow of tankers and other refueling aircraft into the Middle East as President Donald Trump continues to mull the possibility of resuming attacks on Iran. This afternoon, Trump concluded his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss a weakened effort to resolve the conflict with Iran through diplomacy. It is also worth noting that in late November 2024, Lakenheath, Mildenhall and two other RAF bases hosting US forces experienced drone raids, which we were the first to write about. As we mentioned earlier in this article, security concerns about bases in England that house US Air Force aircraft and personnel arose after an incident at RAF Fairford. Like Mildenhall and Lakenheath, RAF Fairford is a major hub for US military aircraft in the UK. It is a regular host of strategic assets, including U-2 bombers and spy planes. It also acts as a stopover for other aircraft, including fighters, that are transported to and from the United States. Bomber strikes launched from Fairford were a central aspect of major US combat operations against Iran earlier this year. A US Air Force Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images) Ben Birchall – PA Images In late September, five men were arrested on suspicion of driving bomb-laden vans there. They were soon released on bail after no explosives were found, but two men were later arrested, one of whom “accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, which police had previously said they believed was Iran,” according to the BBC. A week after the security incident, US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers that had been deployed to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom since Operation Epic Fury returned to their home stations, a US defense official confirmed to TWZ at the time. The hasty move was reportedly prompted by new Iranian threats against the base. As we previously reported, Tehran directly threatened RAF Fairford in July over its use as a base to launch attacks against Iran. We cannot say with certainty what drove the improved security at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall or whether the aircraft movements at Mildenhall are preventive or simply a normal shift of resources. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates when necessary. Contact the author: howard@twz.com Howard is a senior editor at TWZ. He writes frequently about conflicts, focusing primarily on the Middle East and Ukraine, and interviews with military and intelligence officials and industry leaders around the world. He lives near Tampa, Florida, headquarters of US Central Command, US Special Operations Command.