Drones spotted over US airbases in Norfolk spark concerns

While the American bases at Mildenhall and Lakenheath, in Suffolk, are prominent and well known sites, the smaller one at Feltwell, over the border in Norfolk, is rather less so.

But that did not protect it from the attention of whoever was operating the mystery drones.

An F-15 jet takes off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk (Image: Newsquest)

The unidentified aircraft buzzed all three bases over a number of days last week.

The US and British military have been tight-lipped over the incidents, and whether Vladimir Putin or pranksters might be behind them, and the uncertainty has been felt in Feltwell.

The village is home to RAF Feltwell, which is operated by the US military. It is no longer home to aircraft but houses personnel and intelligence facilities, as well as the US Space Force.

A drone being tested at the Stanford training area near Thetford, during a visit by chancellor Rachel Reeves (Image: PA)

Tom Ryves, a West Norfolk Council (WNC) member for Methwold, which neighbours Feltwell, said: "It makes you wonder what the Royal Air Force and Americans have available to prevent drones from flying and entering their airspace.

"That's more the issue - how are these guys able to get away with doing this?"

Councillor Pallavi Devulapalli wants to see more communication with locals (Image: Green Party)

Pallavi Devulapalli is a WNC councillor for Airfeld Ward, which borders Feltwell and is home to RAF Marham - where a squadron of F-35B Lightning jets are stationed.

She has called for better communication with locals following events such as this.

She said: "When tensions are high around the world and there is growing anxiety, we need reassurances and communication about where they have come from."

Following the incident, the Ministry of Defence said it takes threats "seriously" and that it maintains "robust measures at defence sites."

This includes counter-drone security capabilities.

“We won’t comment further on security procedures,” a spokesman said.

The radar systems located at RAF Feltwell (Image: Newsquest)

POTENTIAL TARGET?

Norfolk and Suffolk offer an important base for the USAF forces.

RAF Feltwell, the smallest of the three airbases, is predominantly focused on intelligence operations and logistics, and it is recognisable through its three large 'golf ball' domes. 

These installations are called radomes, which are radar systems covered in a spherical protective cover.

It was built in the 1930s and during the Second World War was home to heavy bombers. But since 1989, it became home to a USAF space surveillance squadron.

Today, it is predominantly used for housing but a US Space Force squadron is still based there.

A similar site in Yorkshire has become the focus of a campaign, with worried locals calling on more transparency about the secretive operations that are conducted there due to it being a "significant military target."

Controversy has also surrounded RAF Lakenheath - the largest US airbase in Britain - after the Pentagon revealed it is set to store nuclear weaponry three times stronger than the Hiroshima bomb in response to the increased threat from Russia. 

This has been met with protests from anti-nuclear campaigners.

Nuclear missiles were previously stationed at RAF Lakenheath until 2008 when the threat of a Cold War from Moscow ended.