LONDON, November 28. /TASS/. Unidentified UAVs continue to appear over British air bases used by the US Air Force, The Times reported, citing a spokesman for the US Air Force Command in Europe.
According to him, "small unmanned aerial systems continue to be spotted <…> since November 20" near and over the bases at Lakenheath and Mildenhall (Suffolk, England), as well as Feltwell (Norfolk) and Fairford (Gloucestershire). He suggested it could be part of a "sinister plot."
On Tuesday, about 60 British military experts were stationed at US airbases across the UK to operate a counter-UAV system to operate a counter-UAV system designed to detect, track and destroy them. The spotted drones varied in size and configuration and were apparently operated by non-amateurs: their flights were coordinated over several days, according to US military officials.
According to senior UK defense official Maria Eagle, the government is "taking steps" to protect servicemen and bases. She vowed that those behind the drone flights would be "shown the full force of the law."
In turn, former Pentagon official Mark Cancian said that the drone operators likely focused their attention "on the most sensitive areas of the bases." He also suggested that the drones were not shot down for security reasons.
Earlier, the Russian Embassy in London called the attempts by a number of British media outlets to link the UAV reports to alleged Russian intelligence activities "conspiracy stories" and fairy tales.