US Air Force bases on alert as 60 British troops equipped with long-range anti-drone guns and GPS jammers hunt for drone pilot flying devices over bases
Sixty RAF electronic warfare specialists have been deployed to protect US-British air bases from possible Russian drone attacks.
The highly trained troops were sent to the top secret locations of Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell in East Anglia following the drone sightings on Monday.
They have been tasked to intercept any unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that pose a threat to aircraft or military personnel and to ensure operational security. The deployment follows observations last week after Vladimir Putin promised that British and American military facilities were valid targets for Kremlin attacks.
The Russian president made the chilling threat after Ukraine fired British and American missiles at Russia for the first time. Russia responded to the Storm Shadow and ATACM salvos by firing a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile at Ukraine.
Today Sir Keir Starmer attended a stock-taking meeting of the heads of the armed forces in Downing Street, along with General Sir Roly Walker and the Chief of the Defense Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.
The Mail has learned that the RAF specialists are from the service’s 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire. These personnel are equipped with thermal imaging cameras, radio frequency and acoustic sensors, GPS jammers and long-range anti-drone guns.
Last night, American and British military spokespeople confirmed the joint operation. In a statement, a spokesperson for the US Air Force in Europe said: ‘We can confirm that there were sightings during the overnight hours yesterday and can only confirm that the numbers fluctuated and varied between bases throughout the night.
Sixty RAF electronic warfare specialists have been deployed to protect US-British airbases from possible Russian drone attacks (Photo: US F15 and F-35 jets trained at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk)
General Sir Roly Walker, Sir Keir Starmer and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin in Downing Street
The highly trained troops were sent to the top secret locations of Lakenheath, Mildenhall (pictured) and Feltwell in East Anglia following the drone sightings on Monday.
Radar domes comb the sky at RAF Feltwell in Norfolk
“Since November 20, there has been no impact on residents or infrastructure, and they have not been identified as hostile. However, they are still continuously monitored to ensure the safety of the installations.’
An anonymous US official said the drones were coordinated and not the work of hobbyists, but it was too early to say who was responsible. While none of the suspected drones have been confirmed as Russian, Kremlin UAVs have recently been identified in Latvia and Romania.
In Ukraine, drones dominate the battlefield. On Monday evening, Russia used a record 188 drones in a single attack. Last week there was an increase in drone activity around Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell – the three bases are highly sensitive and symbolic for the Kremlin.
Last night the RAF said: ‘We take threats seriously and maintain robust measures at defense locations. We support the U.S. Air Force response.”