RAF Mildenhall: 'No Plans' To Close US Air Force Base

RAF Mildenhall has been removed from the list of several military bases set for closure in the UK.

The site primarily hosts the US Air Force, and was previously due to shut in 2027 as part of a Ministry of Defence (MOD) property overhaul.

A 25-year Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) strategy began in 2016, reducing the MOD's footprint while directing investment into key sites.

RAF Mildenhall was deemed surplus to requirements in 2015, while plans for a closure date and where to relocate the American personnel have since been shuffled.

"The 2,500 airmen based in Mildenhall, England, who are responsible for aerial refueling and special operations, and who had been scheduled to re-base in Germany, will remain in the U.K., thus ensuring the uninterrupted readiness and responsiveness of these units," said Captain Shelley Spreier, Chief of Public Affairs, 100th Air Refueling Wing.

"There are currently no plans to close RAF Mildenhall."

The 100th Air Refueling Wing is the only permanent US air refuelling wing in Europe, enabling the Expeditionary Air Force to deploy globally on short notice.

The decision not to "re-base" comes after the Trump administration's decision to withdraw thousands of personnel stationed in Germany.

The DEO strategy has already seen multiple base closures, though investment has 25,000 new and refurbished living spaces in its sights, alongside new training facilities, garages and offices.

Cover: US Thunderbirds fly behind a KC-135 Stratotanker over RAF Mildenhall (Picture: MOD).