Mysterious drone activity over UK airbases raises alarm of hostile state involvement

Two secret Cobra meetings have been held following a series of sophisticated drone incursions over American airbases in the UK, raising concerns about the involvement of a hostile state.

The drones, which were flown over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Fairford, and RAF Feltwell, have baffled authorities due to the advanced technology used, making it impossible for military officials to track or identify the operators, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The incursions, which took place in late November and early December 2024, were deemed to be the work of live operators, not pre-programmed drones. The drones varied in size and configuration, and their coordinated flights across multiple days suggest a high level of organization. Despite the availability of advanced tracking systems and countermeasures, the authorities were unable to capture any drones or pinpoint their launch locations.

A Whitehall source described the drones as "very sophisticated, very fast," indicating that the operators were likely not hobbyists. There is growing concern that the drones could have been controlled by a hostile state, with initial investigations suggesting the involvement of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. However, no firm evidence has linked Russia to the incidents, and some sources believe non-state actors could also be responsible.

The mystery surrounding the drone incursions has prompted an intensive investigation, with military police, US Navy personnel, and specialists in drone technology working to uncover the perpetrators. In particular, the activity at RAF Lakenheath, where nuclear weapons are being housed, raised significant alarm. On some nights, dozens of drones were spotted in the sky above the base, further escalating security concerns.

Despite the sophisticated technology at the military bases, including the use of the Orcus counter-drone system, no conclusive answers have emerged. The system, capable of electronically taking control of enemy drones and tracking their operators, has yet to pinpoint those responsible.

The UK Ministry of Defence has stated that it takes such threats seriously and maintains strong security measures at its defence sites. The United States, meanwhile, has reiterated its right to protect its airbases and has expressed concerns over the ongoing drone activity, which later spread to the eastern United States.

As of early December, the mysterious drone activity in the UK ceased, but reports of similar incidents have emerged across the United States, with drones spotted over several states, including New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The White House has suggested that the drones involved may be a mix of law enforcement, professional, and hobbyist aircraft, but the true origin of the incursions remains unclear.

Two Cobra meetings have been held in secret after unidentified drones were flown over military bases, involving technology so sophisticated the authorities have been unable to track them or identify those responsible.

Military officials have not ruled out the involvement of a hostile state but have expressed alarm that it has so far proved impossible to find the pilots responsible for controlling the drones.

The Times has learnt there have been at least two meetings of Cobra, the emergency response committee, over the mystery drones flown over American airbases in England. Military police, troops including members of the US Navy and police with drone expertise have been investigating the incursions over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Fairford and RAF Feltwell.

Investigators believe the drones were not programmed but were controlled in real time by live operators.

The drones were flown around the bases in late November and early December and varied in size and configurations, according to the US military. The authorities have ruled out the work of hobbyists because of the sophistication of the technology involved and also because the flights were co-ordinated over a series of days.

However, despite the advanced technology available at the military bases, they were unable to track the drones’ signals or pinpoint launch locations. No drones have been captured, which would have allowed their examination, and they were not affected by electronic countermeasures such as jamming.

A Whitehall source said: “They’re very sophisticated, very fast. This is not the work of hobbyists but no one is confident of attribution at the moment.”

On some nights at Lakenheath, where facilities to house nuclear weapons are under construction, dozens of drones were in the sky above the base. British and American intelligence services conducted an intensive investigation that examined whether the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, was responsible.

A US intelligence source said: “It seemed to us that it was plausible the Russians were behind the flights but it could have been non-state groups. There has been no firm evidence that Russians were involved.”

The first indication that the spy flights might have been Russian-operated came during initial investigations into drone sightings between November 20 and 26 over four bases, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where four B-52 bombers were deployed as part of an American task force.

Last month a European military source said there was intelligence that the GRU was involved. It sparked alarm at all airbases and airports in the UK.

The US warned that it reserved the right to defend its airbases. “To safeguard operational security, we do not discuss specific protection measures. However, we retain the right to protect our installations,” a spokesman said previously.

The Times previously reported that RAF personnel were using the Orcus counter-drone system to help the US protect its bases. The system can electronically take command of an enemy drone and turn it on itself, to find the operators. The system comprises of various parts that come together to find, identify and track drones. The Ninja — negation of improvised non-state joint aerial-threats — can identify targets up to four miles away.

Yet officials are still unclear about who is responsible for the incursions.

The Ministry of Defence said: “We take threats seriously and maintain robust measures at defence sites.”

The mysterious drone activity in England stopped in the first week of December. It was followed by a spate of activity on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Flying objects have been seen over New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

John Kirby, the White House security adviser, said that the drones were a combination of law enforcement, professional and hobbyist aircraft.

By Vafa Guliyeva