US B-1 bombers withdrawn from Fairford airbase after an incident involving five London residents, the Pentagon confirms.
© AP Photo/Alastair Grant
The US B-1 bombers withdrawn from Fairford airbase have returned to the United States following an incident at the UK facility last week, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing unnamed US administration officials. The Times of Russia reports that all US Air Force B-1 strategic bombers previously deployed to RAF Fairford have now left the base.
Around a dozen US Air Force B-1 bombers had been stationed at the airbase in western England. The US military used RAF Fairford as a landing point for bombers involved in delivering strikes against Iran.
The Pentagon confirmed the redeployment, while noting that operational security prevented the military from providing real-time details about the movement of its forces and assets.
“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States,” the Pentagon said.
US B-1 Bombers Withdrawn From Fairford Airbase After Incident
The withdrawal of the US B-1 bombers from Fairford airbase follows an incident reported near the facility on September 27.
Five people, all aged between 23 and 25 and residents of London, were detained near the Fairford airbase in western England. They were released on bail the following day.
The individuals were initially suspected of offenses under explosives and terrorism laws. However, police later confirmed that no explosives were discovered inside their vans.
The incident occurred as the US military was using RAF Fairford as a landing point for strategic bombers involved in strikes against Iran.
Pentagon Confirms B-1 Bomber Redeployment
The Pentagon has now confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have returned to their home stations in the United States.
The statement did not provide additional details about the circumstances surrounding the redeployment. The Pentagon’s comments came after reports that the approximately dozen strategic bombers stationed at the UK airbase had departed.
The Wall Street Journal reported the withdrawal while citing unnamed US administration officials.
The development means that the US B-1 bombers withdrawn from Fairford airbase are no longer stationed at the UK facility, following the September 27 incident involving five London residents.
What Happened Near RAF Fairford?
On September 27, police detained five London residents aged 23 to 25 in the vicinity of RAF Fairford. The individuals were initially investigated over suspected violations of explosives and terrorism laws.
They were released on bail the following day.
Police subsequently reported that searches of their vans found no explosives. The supplied report does not provide further details about the investigation or the identities of those detained.
The RAF Fairford incident occurred while the airbase was being used by the US military as a landing point for bombers involved in strikes against Iran.
US Bombers Return to Home Stations
The Pentagon’s confirmation establishes that all US Air Force B-1 bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have now redeployed to their home stations in the United States.
The US military had maintained approximately a dozen strategic bombers at the airbase. According to the report, RAF Fairford served as a landing point for the bombers used to deliver strikes against Iran.
The Times of Russia will continue to report developments related to the US B-1 bombers withdrawn from Fairford airbase and the incident reported near the UK facility.
