US pulls B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford after security scare

US bombers return home

The US military has pulled all of its B-1 bomber jets out of RAF Fairford and sent them back to the United States, following a counter-terrorism investigation into a security incident near the Gloucestershire airbase.

The withdrawal, confirmed by a US department official on Sunday, comes after police intercepted three suspicious vehicles near the airfield on 27 September. While Washington has not officially given a reason for removing the aircraft, Whitehall sources have not disputed that the decision was a direct response to the security scare.

The move was a military decision made at an operational level, rather than a political directive, and was communicated directly by US commanders to their British counterparts. The UK Ministry of Defence has declined to comment on the redeployment.

Terror arrests near Gloucestershire base

The security operation began in the early hours of 27 September when five British nationals from London, aged between 23 and 25, were arrested as their vehicles travelled towards the base. Initially held on suspicion of explosives offences, they were later rearrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

All five were subsequently released on bail. Gloucestershire Police described the release as an "investigative decision" that was "grounded in experience and strategy". A sixth man, aged 25, was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, but he too was released on bail on Saturday.

The Iranian connection

The incident has quickly taken on international significance. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said there were "strong indications" that Iran had played a part in the suspected plot. Tehran has denied any involvement.

However, tensions between Iran and the base have been building for months. RAF Fairford has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades. Recently, B-1 Lancer heavy bombers have used the base to launch strikes in the Middle East, after the UK government approved a US request to use Fairford for defensive operations against Iran.

In July, Tehran warned that "any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces."

Senior US figures have expressed deep concern over the security breach. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that the plot "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor."

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump criticised the British decision to bail the suspects. "We know everything about them, we would not have released them," Trump said, though he added that British authorities had worked "very closely" with the US during the investigation.