Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Fairford will all obtain a portion of a $4.2 billion funding into U.S. bases within the UK, in line with paperwork seen by The Guardian.
A presentation given by the Air Drive Set up and Mission Assist Heart in March 2026, seen by UK newspaper The Guardian, referred to improve plans for the primary U.S. working places in the UK.
A part of this funding, it seems, can be into weapons storage services at RAF Lakenheath. This probably consists of upgrades to nuclear weapon storage. As The Aviationist has reported beforehand, it’s virtually sure that B61 nuclear bombs have now returned to RAF Lakenheath, following their elimination in 2008.
RAF Lakenheath is dwelling to the forty eighth Fighter Wing, one of the vital fight skilled fighter wings within the U.S. Air Drive. It at present includes two squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagles and two squadrons of F-35A Lightning IIs. Final yr it grew to become evident that the U.S. Air Drive has plans to withdraw the Strike Eagles within the close to future, although it also needs to be famous that Lakenheath’s F-15 items proceed to be extraordinarily lively and have not too long ago taken supply of extra plane outfitted with the brand new Eagle Passive/Lively Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS).
Eagles Return!
RETRO 31-32 Flt 2x “LN” F-15E Strike Eagles return to RAF Lakenheath from Bangor ANGB, with their Conformal Gasoline Tanks (CFTs) eliminated, and EPAWSS fitted to the tail.#usaf #f15e #strikeeagle #lakenheath #canon pic.twitter.com/W1GFdw1SLk
— Havoc Aviation (@havoc_aviation) June 29, 2026
Over the course of Operation Epic Fury, Lakenheath has deployed over half of its lively F-15Es and F-35As to the Center East. Throughout this time, plenty of the bottom’s F-15Es have been misplaced. This consists of DUDE 44, which was shot down over Iran resulting in the launch of daring rescue missions to get better the 2 crew members who ejected from the plane.
Lakenheath is seemingly the most important recipient of this funding, although a lot of it seems to be allotted to tasks which have been beforehand identified to be within the pipeline – upgraded weapons storage, lodging, and safety services.
RAF Mildenhall
Second on the listing is RAF Mildenhall, only a few miles from Lakenheath. Mildenhall was famously slated for closure within the final decade, a call later reversed. Given the in depth use of Mildenhall in supporting the U.S. navy’s logistical actions all through numerous conflicts, this coverage reversal has indisputably confirmed its worth. Sadly, within the years the place the bottom was set for closure there was a lapse in funding and the bottom has spent years catching up and enhancing services that have been beforehand assumed on the verge of being mothballed.
In line with The Guardian, the upgrades now deliberate for Mildenhall concentrate on the bottom’s position supporting U.S. particular operations. The 352nd Particular Operations Wing (SOW) has flown from Mildenhall since 1995. It was beforehand generally known as the 352nd Particular Operations Group till it grew to become a full Wing in 2015 forward of the finally cancelled transfer to Germany.
Working MC-130J Commando II and CV-22B Ospreys, the 352nd SOW are completely on name for contingency operations all through Europe, Africa, and the Center East. They’re typically among the many first items to deploy throughout a disaster the place their experience could be required, and so they have additionally flown plenty of long-range particular missions from Mildenhall itself. In 2024, the unit added the C-146A Wolfhound to its stock for discreet taskings inside Europe and to supply a extra applicable platform for non-combat liaison and transport roles.
$1.1 billion is designated for enhancements at Mildenhall, stated to incorporate new services for particular operations items to function extra cohesively and effectively. Particularly, The Guardian says the plans will “allow these particular forces to accommodate their plane in a single place”.
Whether or not this implies new hangarage and aprons for the 352nd SOW, consolidating their at present dispersed operations across the airfield into one massive, new complicated, just isn’t solely clear. At current, the first arduous standings for the MC-130J and CV-22 fleets are on reverse sides of Mildenhall’s runway.
RAF Fairford
Unspecified upgrades, to the worth of $500 million, are additionally deliberate for RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. As with Lakenheath, this may occasionally embrace upgrades which have been public data for a while.
Fairford was positioned in ‘care and upkeep’ standing in 2010, primarily mothballing the airfield, however has turn out to be steadily extra lively since internet hosting its first subsequent strategic bomber deployment in 2014. This deployment changed into virtually yearly appearances of B-52 Stratofortresses, B-1B Lancers, or B-2A Spirits (or a mixture of the three), after which in 2019 the bottom as soon as once more grew to become dwelling to a everlasting operational detachment of U-2 Dragon Girl intelligence plane.
At current, the bottom is dwelling to a sizeable pressure of B-52s and B-1Bs which have been deployed in help of Operation Epic Fury. The bombers flew day by day sorties from Fairford to Iran whereas hostilities have been on the peak. Now, through the shaky ceasefire, the bombers have continued to fly coaching missions from the bottom at the same tempo. There seems to be little signal of the assembled bomber pressure going dwelling en masse.
B-1B SERVO 11 blasting off from RAF Fairford late on Sunday evening🔊 pic.twitter.com/cvnS8J6ZOT
— Saint1 (@Saint1Mil) June 30, 2026
Upgrades to Fairford could be geared toward higher supporting these long run bomber deployments, although extra pertinently they may embrace improved services to accommodate the B-21 Raider. The primary B-21 is because of arrive at Ellsworth AFB subsequent yr, and Fairford will virtually actually be one of many first abroad places to see the subsequent era bomber contact down. Of the three places worldwide earmarked for ahead deployed B-2 operations, with climate-controlled hangars to protect the fragile radar-absorbent coatings, RAF Fairford is the one one outdoors of the Indo-Pacific.
There have additionally been plans that will see Fairford changing into a hub for unmanned intelligence plane just like the RQ-4 International Hawk, although other than an preliminary proving flight this seems to have gone quiet. Certainly, even the still-classified ‘RQ-180’ – official designation unknown – has been seen to make its European debut in Greece, moderately than from Fairford as many anticipated.
RAF Menwith Hill
Although nominally a Royal Air Drive Station, RAF Menwith Hill just isn’t and has by no means been an airfield. Constructed in Yorkshire within the Fifties, the positioning was envisioned from conception as a web site for secretive intelligence work. Initially straight gathering alerts intelligence, the main focus would quickly shift to offering floor station services for the great community of U.S.-operated intelligence satellites.
Some latest pics of RAF Menwith Hill Listening Station close to #Harrogate #menwithhill #rafmenwithhill #northyorkshire pic.twitter.com/NyRB4rsn3W
— Yorkshire_Pics (@Yorkshire_Pics) April 10, 2024
Menwith Hill is ready to obtain $163 million – a small however nonetheless good portion of the funding. It’s undoubtedly one of the vital necessary U.S. websites within the UK, and one of many examples of how considerably the U.S. relationship with the UK differs from its relationship with lots of its European allies. As companions within the 5 Eyes (FVEY) alliance – comprising the U.S. and UK, alongside Australia, Canada, and New Zealand – the nations have an unprecedented stage of intelligence sharing.
U.S. Air Drive and Nationwide Safety Company (NSA) personnel work at Menwith Hill alongside these from the Royal Air Drive and the UK’s Authorities Communciations Headquarters (GCHQ). The bottom’s presence within the UK, and obvious involvement in among the most controversial components of U.S. intelligence gathering, is a serious level of competition for British protesters.
Independence from America Day – upcoming protests!
📆 27 June📍 RAF Lakenheath, 11am
📆 4 July📍RAF Fairford, 1pm📍RAF Menwith Hill, 3pm
Extra particulars: pic.twitter.com/hXzTI0LSy5
— Marketing campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (@CNDuk) June 18, 2026
Notably, alongside flying stations Lakenheath, Mildenhall, and Fairford, the North Yorkshire base was amongst these particularly designated as no-fly zones when unidentified drones have been regarded as disrupting U.S. operations within the UK.
