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The United States has withdrawn its entire contingent of heavy bombers from RAF Fairford, the British military installation at the centre of an ongoing counter-terrorism investigation, according to a statement from a US department official issued on Sunday.
The withdrawal involved approximately a dozen B-1 Lancer aircraft, which returned to their home stations in the United States. Tracking websites monitored the bombers' departure from the Gloucestershire base throughout Sunday, providing visual confirmation of the redeployment.
The US did not provide an official explanation for removing the aircraft, but the decision comes in the wake of a significant security incident on 27 September, when police received reports of three suspicious vehicles operating near the airbase.
During that incident, five men were initially taken into custody on suspicion of terror offences in the vicinity of the base. All five were subsequently released on bail. A sixth individual, described as a UK-Iranian national, was arrested later and also released on bail pending further investigation.
Whitehall sources have not disputed that Washington's decision to withdraw the bombers was connected to the events at the airbase. However, the BBC has learned that the move was characterised as a military rather than political decision, taken at an operational level and communicated directly from the US military to its British counterparts.
The UK's Ministry of Defence has declined to comment on the withdrawal or the circumstances surrounding it.
The security incident at RAF Fairford prompted significant political attention. Days after the event, Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated there were "strong indications" that Iran had played a role, though he did not elaborate on the specific evidence supporting that assessment. Tehran has categorically denied any involvement in the incident.
The five men initially arrested were aged between 23 and 25 and were taken into custody in the early hours of the morning after reports that vehicles were travelling towards the base, which is operated by the US Air Force. All five were UK nationals from London. They were initially arrested on suspicion of explosives offences before the charges were escalated to suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Police later described their release on bail as an "investigative decision" that was "grounded in experience and strategy."
The sixth suspect, aged 25, was arrested in London on Thursday on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts. Counter-terrorism police confirmed on Saturday that he too had been released on bail.
The incident has drawn commentary from senior US officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that the situation "clearly involve[d] the hands of a foreign actor," though he declined to provide additional details, citing limitations on what he could disclose during a broadcast interview. US President Donald Trump separately expressed surprise that the five men had been released on bail, stating: "We know everything about them, we would not have released them." He added that the UK had collaborated with the US "very closely" on the matter.
RAF Fairford has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades and has played a strategic role in recent military operations. In recent months, the US has flown both B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base for missions related to the Middle East, following UK approval of a US request to use the facility for defensive strikes on Iran.
The bombers deployed from RAF Fairford have carried significant firepower. Many B-1 aircraft were equipped with precision-guided "bunker busting" bombs featuring thicker casings designed to penetrate hardened or buried targets such as weapons storage facilities. They also carried air-to-surface missiles intended for use against more heavily defended targets deeper inside Iranian territory. Each bombing mission, depending on target location, would typically require approximately 12 to 15 hours in total for the round trip, with air-to-air refuelling necessary in both directions.
The diplomatic context surrounding the base's use has been tense. In July, Iran issued a statement declaring that "any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces." This warning underscored the strategic sensitivity of RAF Fairford's role in US operations.
The Pentagon has maintained that its bombing aircraft remain capable of conducting missions "anywhere, anytime," including through "operations that launch and recover from the continental United States." This statement suggests that the withdrawal from RAF Fairford does not represent a diminishment of US military capability or reach, but rather a repositioning of assets.
The withdrawal of all bombers from RAF Fairford marks a notable development in the ongoing investigation and raises questions about the security posture at the base. While officials have not explicitly linked the withdrawal to the 27 September incident, the timing and circumstances suggest a connection. The decision to remove such a significant military asset from British soil could have implications for future US-UK military cooperation and the operational tempo of missions in the region.
The investigation into the suspicious vehicles and the individuals arrested continues, with all six suspects released on bail while inquiries proceed. Counter-terrorism police have not indicated when or whether charges might be filed. The case remains active, and further developments are anticipated as authorities work to establish the full facts surrounding the incident.
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