The US military relocated refueling tankers from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England on November 9, 2026, following an Iran-linked threat, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the matter.
Two tankers operating from the Suffolk base diverted to Germany early that day, while several more were relocated to Germany and other locations later, the newspaper reported, citing flight-tracking data and a US official.
The official also told the WSJ that security at Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath had been raised to Force Protection Condition (FPCON) Charlie, the second-highest level in the US Department of Defense’s five-tier system. The designation applies when an incident occurs or intelligence indicates that some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely.
USAF tankers dispersed to Germany, Spain and Scotland
According to open-source flight tracking, four KC-135 Stratotankers, serial numbers 63-8878, 59-1470, 61-0315 and 63-8007, relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base, while a fifth, serial number 58-0001, flew to Ramstein Air Base.
#USAF United States Air Force RAF Mildenhall Activity Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker 9x #AE05B1 63-8878 – RAKE 01 #AE04FE 58-0100 – RAKE 02 #AE0502 59-1511 – RAKE 03 #ADFF0C 60-0353 – RAKE 05 #AE04C3 59-1470 – LAGER 60 #AE0237 61-0315 – LAGER 70 #AE04FF 59-1463 – QUID 14 #AE0475 58-0001 – REACH 330 #AE0489 63-8007 – REACH 5012 Bell-Boeing CV-22B Osprey 3x #AE5725 13-0071 – KNIFE 71 #AE5724 13-0070 – KNIFE 73 #AE540D 11-0061 – KNIFE 79 A dispersal of active aircraft at RAF Mildenhall has taken place this evening, with 9x KC-135s (including 2x transient tankers), and 3x CV-22Bs departing. RAKE 02-05 have relocated to Moron Air Base in Spain, while RAKE 01 has gone to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany with LAGER 60. LAGER 70, and transient tanker REACH 5012. RAKE 04 is active and trying to depart, but the airframe is currently unknown. QUID 14 has gone to Prestwick solo, and the second transient tanker REACH 330 has gone to Ramstein Air Base. Three CV-22Bs as KNIFE 71/73/79 have moved to RAF Lakenheath. At this time, I believe the NOTAM for the bases closure this week is NOT the reason for the dispersal. Photos via @havoc_aviation @MATA_osint @DefenceGeek @Andyyyyrrrr @TallGlenn85 @jamjake01 @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks @Osinttechnical @sentdefender
— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) November 9, 2026
Other KC-135s were tracked heading to Morón Air Base in Spain and Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK) in Scotland. Three CV-22B Ospreys also repositioned from Mildenhall to Lakenheath.
US Air Force confirms heightened security at Mildenhall and Lakenheath
A US official confirmed to The War Zone that “enhanced force protection measures are in effect across RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall,” but declined to describe them or explain what prompted the heightened security. According to the WSJ, US officials were still assessing the precise nature of the threat.
Mildenhall hosts the US Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanently based US Air Force tanker wing in Europe, alongside special operations CV-22B Ospreys and MC-130J Commando II aircraft. Nearby Lakenheath is home to the 48th Fighter Wing’s F-15E Strike Eagle and F-35A Lightning II squadrons.
On November 9, 2026, RAF Lakenheath also urged residents on social media to report suspicious activity around the base, including unauthorized drone flights. Drones were repeatedly spotted over Lakenheath, Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell.
RAF Fairford withdrawal followed suspected Iran-linked plot
The aircraft movements come just over five weeks after the US Air Force withdrew all its B-1B Lancer bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. On October 4, 2026, the Pentagon confirmed that all bombers deployed there had returned to their home stations in the United States, without publicly explaining the decision.
The withdrawal followed the arrest of five men near Fairford on September 27, 2026, over a suspected security threat. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had warned that military bases used to attack Iran would be considered legitimate targets, specifically singling out Fairford.
On October 12, 2026, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons that the Fairford incident was “highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.” Iran’s ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi, denied any Iranian involvement.
On October 27, 2026, two men were charged under the UK’s National Security Act 2023. One was accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, which British counterterrorism police said they believed to be Iran’s.