Together At Home
£9.99Unidentified small unmanned aerial systems, better known as drones, have been spotted over three airbases in the UK: RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, and RAF Feltwell in neighbouring Norfolk. The bases are all home to United States Air Force facilities. It is not known at this stage whether the drones were hostile, nor whether the bases employed any defence mechanisms in response. A spokesperson for the US Air Force in Europe stated that “we continue to monitor our airspace” and were “working with host-nation authorities and mission partners to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities and assets”. The British Ministry of Defence, which owns the bases, confirmed that “robust measures” including “counter drone security capabilities” were in place, but declined to comment further on security procedures.
RAF Mildenhall is primarily home to the US Air Force’s 100th Air Refuelling Wing; RAF Lakenheath is home to USAF F-35A and F-15E fighter jets, while RAF Feltwell is mainly concerned with logistics and offers housing for military personnel.
Whilst incidents of this nature are concerning – particularly at sensitive locations such as military bases – the sighting of drones has become increasingly common over recent years. As prices for consumer drones have fallen, incidents of such craft flying too close to airports, other restricted airspace and even in the vicinity of aircraft have rapidly risen. Governments have sought to introduce ever more stringent rules around drone-use, and some companies have launched counter-drone technologies. It is unclear whether the US military bases involved in this incident have as yet employed such technologies
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
