Zillar Barta Desk, London/Washington: The United States has moved all of its bombers deployed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire back to their home stations in the United States, following a security incident near the British military base. The Pentagon confirmed the redeployment, but officials initially provided few details about the timing and reasons behind the move.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the withdrawal should not be directly linked to the arrests made near the base. He explained that the United States routinely moves military aircraft and personnel between different locations as part of exercises, redeployments and regular rotations.
“It’s not unusual to see rotations happen and movement of assets to different parts of the world,” Rubio said. He added that such movements can involve new aircraft and personnel arriving while others leave.
The comments came after the Pentagon confirmed that the US bomber fleet at Fairford had been redeployed to bases in America. The aircraft included B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers, according to reports. The Pentagon said US bomber crews remained prepared to conduct precision global strike missions from the continental United States and other locations.
The bomber movement follows a major security investigation near RAF Fairford. Five British men were arrested in late September after authorities responded to suspicious activity involving three vans close to the base. The suspects were investigated over explosives and terrorism-related offences and were later released on bail.
A sixth person, a dual British-Iranian national, was subsequently arrested in London in connection with the wider investigation and was also released on bail. British counter-terrorism authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
British officials have indicated that there may be a foreign-state connection to the incident. Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously said there were strong indications that Iran may have played a role, while Tehran has denied involvement.
Despite the bomber withdrawal, Rubio said Washington continues to have confidence in the security of its military bases. He also praised cooperation between American and British authorities.
The British government has similarly maintained that RAF Fairford remains safe and said there had been no change to its position regarding the base.
RAF Fairford is an important US military facility in Europe and serves as a preferred forward operating location for American strategic bombers. The base has played a significant role in US military operations, including recent missions connected to the conflict with Iran.
While officials have described the aircraft movement as part of normal military rotations, US Vice President JD Vance separately said the decision was taken out of an “abundance of caution” following the security concerns. This has added to questions about the precise circumstances behind the rapid redeployment.
For now, US officials say the bomber force remains operationally ready, while British authorities continue their investigation into the security incident surrounding RAF Fairford.
