This is the moment suspected drones were filmed hovering near RAF Marham after emergency sirens sounded across nearby bases, alarming local residents.
Footage recorded on Friday evening appears to show three drones flying in a chevron formation, their white lights blinking intermittently close to the Norfolk base, which is home to the F-35 Lightning stealth fighter.
More than 3,600 service personnel, civil servants and contractors work at RAF Marham, near King’s Lynn.
The video surfaced after sirens sounded at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk and were heard near RAF Feltwell in neighbouring Norfolk, following reports of suspected drone activity.
Residents said they heard ‘war sirens’ at around 5.30pm on Friday, followed by an announcement in an American accent telling people to take shelter.
In one video capturing the apocalyptic scenes, sirens can be heard wailing through the pitch-black darkness of a local resident’s garden.
The US Air Force confirmed that an alarm had been raised at RAF Lakenheath because of ‘suspected unauthorised drones’ operating near the base.
A spokesperson said on Friday: ‘This evening, USAF Security Forces personnel responded to suspected unauthorized drone activity over RAF Lakenheath.
‘No personnel, aircraft or infrastructure were affected.
What appears to be three suspected drones filmed hovering near RAF Marham in Norfolk yesterday
Footage filmed by residents near the RAF airbases captured the sirens ringing out across their pitch-black gardens
The base is the home of the F-35 Lightning stealth fighter jet and more than 3,600 service personnel working there
‘We continue to work closely with our host nation counterparts to ensure the safety and security of our U.S. service members, U.S. and host nation civilians, contractors, and all of our families.’
The Air Force urged anyone who witnessed unusual or suspicious activity to report it to the appropriate local authorities.
The alarm came just days after the US military evacuated at least a dozen aircraft from an RAF base following a threat from Iran.
Nine US Air Force refuelling aircraft were moved from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Monday, flying to bases elsewhere in the UK, Germany and Spain.
RAF Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refuelling Wing and is the only permanent US refuelling wing in Europe. It operates KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft.
Three V-22 Ospreys, which are used by American special forces, were also transferred to RAF Lakenheath, where sirens were heard on Friday evening.
A former RAF chief described the sudden evacuation as ‘extraordinarily unusual’.
RAF Lakenheath had also issued a drone warning on November 9, telling local residents and people living on the base to report sightings ‘immediately’ to security staff or police.
Light armored vehicle and military personnel are pictured at the entrance of RAF Lakenheath on September 27
The base is home to the US Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing, which has almost 7,000 active-duty personnel, many of them stationed at the Suffolk base.
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Both bases subsequently raised their security status to ‘Force Protection Condition Charlie’, the second-highest threat level, used when intelligence indicates that a terrorist attack is likely.
The move followed a similar withdrawal of bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire last month after an alleged Iranian terror plot was foiled.
Security at US bases in Britain has been heightened since an incident at RAF Fairford in September.
Police found petrol, but no explosives, while searching vans near the base.
The discovery came after five men reportedly approached the base in three white vans during the night.
Two men were charged last month in connection with the incident, with prosecutors alleging that one had attempted to assist Iranian intelligence in Britain.
Tehran denied any involvement, but the US withdrew all of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford the following month.
A B-1B Lancer bomber pictured at the RAF Fairford, which was used to mount US strikes against Iran
A bomb disposal robot deployed by the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal team checking the three white vans used by the suspects at RAF Fairford last month
A spokesman for the Prime Minister previously insisted that British bases were safe, saying: ‘The protection of our bases, both in the UK and across the world, is a top priority.’
The Conservatives, however, criticised Labour and accused Andy Burnham of showing ‘weakness’ over the threat Iran allegedly poses to national security.
‘Labour cannot keep putting their heads in the sand,’ said Alicia Kearns, the Tory shadow foreign minister. ‘Iran continues to threaten Britain, hack our companies, and radicalise our citizens, yet this government responds with handshakes.
‘Until Burnham grows a backbone and takes defence seriously, our allies won’t trust us. Words mean nothing without real action.’
Mark Francois, a Tory defence spokesman, added: ‘Britain’s national security is under threat. Our adversaries are testing our resolve, our military infrastructure, and our relationships with our closest allies.
‘Yet Labour is showing weakness when Britain needs strength. And Burnham’s refusal to wake up to the threats we face is putting us in danger.’
Last month, Andy Burnham said the activity at the Gloucestershire airbase was likely to have been coordinated in Iran.
Iran’s ambassador to the UK rejected the allegations that Tehran was involved in any plot targeting the base.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said in July that RAF Fairford, along with any other base used to launch attacks against Iran, would be considered a legitimate target.
Aircraft stationed at RAF Fairford were used to conduct strikes against Iran during the war, which Donald Trump has said is now militarily ‘effectively over’.
The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.
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