Downing Street insists RAF Fairford is safe as US pulls bombers out of airbase

Downing Street has insisted RAF Fairford is safe after the US withdrew its bombers from the base. 

The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that aircraft stationed at the Gloucestershire base had been "redeployed to their home stations in the United States".

The move follows the arrest of six individuals, who were subsequently released on bail, over the past week, in connection with a suspected terror plot targeting the base.

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A sixth man, a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, who was arrested on 1 October, has also been released on bail. 

Asked on Monday whether RAF Fairford was safe, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Yes."

The spokesperson also pointed to comments by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting saying there were "tried-and-tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world", but he declined to comment further on "foreign nations' military operations".

"The withdrawal of the US bombers from Fairford is a military position. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment on what the US military have chosen to do," Veterans and People Minister Calvin Bailey told BFBS Forces News. 

"They would have done it based on decisions and analysis that they require and that we wouldn't be exposed to. 

"Our security, we remain comfortable with the security and position of the base, and we continue to be prepared to support the US as we move forward."

Trump administration plays down withdrawal 

The Trump administration has sought to play down the withdrawal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters: "We've documented what happened last week. I wouldn't directly tie that to the move that was made."

Mr Rubio added: "It's not unusual to see movement of assets to different parts of the world based on exercises, redeployments, people changing out and new people coming in, new planes coming in and old planes going out."

One former RAF commander has commented that sending the bombers back home might simply be a decision to allow recuperation and rest because they have not been used for a while. 

Air Marshal (Retired) Greg Bagwell, a former combat pilot and senior leader in the RAF, said in a post on X: "The official line is that this is down to security concerns after last week's arrests near the airfield.

"In truth, these have been inactive for a while and with hostilities unlikely to restart before the mid-terms, a return to the US will allow recuperation and rest."