The U.S. on Monday evacuated nearly a dozen military aircraft from a base in England, the second time since September that terrorism concerns have prompted the relocation of American planes.
The nature of the threat, reportedly linked to Iran, against RAF Mildenhall, about 80 miles north of London, was unclear. But it was serious enough that military officials repositioned at least 10 KC-135 Stratotankers to other bases.
“We take proactive measures to ensure our aircraft, our people, and our installations remain safe and secure,” a U.S. official told NBC News.
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RAF Mildenhall hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanent refueling wing in Europe. Some relocated aircraft were permanently based there, while others were there on rotation.
The move comes just over a month after the U.S. removed its fleet of B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in southwest England. The bombers were returned to their home stations in the U.S. The withdrawal followed intelligence warnings regarding a potential Iran-backed plot targeting the base.
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