The British Royal Air Force base, RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, is one of the several British air bases that are hosts to American aircraft and personnel. In recent days and weeks we've seen some odd and troubling events going on around these bases; now, on Friday, there has been another, with "unauthorized drone activity" causing a temporary shelter-in-place order for the base. The origin of the drones is unknown.
British Sky News broke the story on X.
BREAKING: US Air Force reports "suspected unauthorised drone activity" at RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk. https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube https://t.co/ZWkgu3BbMJ
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 13, 2026
Sky News reporter Matt Barbet said:
Some breaking news I'm bringing to you now, regarding RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. A statement from the U.S. Air Force's spokesperson, told Sky News, that the U.S. Air Force's security forces have responded to suspected unauthorized drone activity over the RAF base at Lakenheath. They say no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected. They continue to work closely our host nation counterparts, that would be the U.K. of course, to ensure the safety and security of our U.S. service members, U.S. and host nation civilians contractors and all of their families.
So, coming from the U.S. Air Force, they say via spokesperson that their security forces responded to suspected unauthorized drone activity over RAF Lakenheath. Which is in Suffolk, not to far away in fact from RAF Mildenhall, very close in fact. Which is the other base evacuated by the U.S. after a threat from Iran. And this, the statement said there's no personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected. But, just the very latest, the number of situations in or around RAF bases in the U.K.
A more complete report appeared on the Sky News website.
Sky News has seen a copy of an alert that instructed personnel at RAF Lakenheath to "shelter in place".
Nick Timothy, a local MP, wrote on social media that he had been in touch with the authorities and "there is no threat to the public and the incident is now resolved".
The alert message that was sent to personnel was headed in capital letters with the words "REAL WORLD" written in red.
It said: "Seek the nearest shelter-in-place room."
The incident came after the US military on Monday evacuated more than a dozen warplanes from a second, sprawling airbase in Suffolk, RAF Mildenhall, amid reports of a security threat linked to Iran.
This is the latest in several events involving RAF bases hosting American aircraft, including Iranian operatives plotting a terror attack on RAF bases including RAF Fairford, and another incident in which several American air tankers were suddenly moved from RAF Mildenhall, again over a possible Iran-based threat.
As of this writing, the RAF base is back under normal operation, and there has been no statement (yet) as to the nature of any unauthorized drones or who may have been operating them. While the other incidents around RAF bases seem to have been tied to Iran, there isn't any evidence yet on this latest case.
Stay tuned. We'll be watching this one, too, and bringing you updates as things develop.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are once again respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
Help us continue to report on the administration’s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.