RAF Fairford: Everything you need to know about US-UK military base after 'terror plot' arrests

RAF Fairford: Everything you need to know about US-UK military base after 'terror plot' arrests The military base is the centrepiece of US-UK military cooperation, and has seen use over multiple conflicts since it was established to aid D-Day planning and deployment in 1944 RAF Fairford and a small sleepy community in Gloucestershire were placed on lockdown this morning — as police swooped in to foil an alleged bomb plot at the shared US-UK military base. Around 85 homes were evacuated an a 400-metre cordon placed around the town of Whelford, with Army bomb squads deployed to examine three vans after police received a call at around 12.45am today. Investigators said five men were arrested in the middle of the night at the air base on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act. They were further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. The case is now in the hands of a joint team of US and British investigators, owing to more than 50 years of sharing at the base — which has an extensive history stretching back to 1945. What is RAF Fairford? RAF Fairford is one of 33 active RAF bases in the UK, and one of 12 where American personnel operate as part of the United States Visiting Force, making it an especially critical location when it comes to US-UK and US-European military cooperation. The USVF is allowed to operate in several British bases under the Visiting Forces Act 1952, which was passed just eight years after Fairford was established in 1944. What is the base used for? Fairford is home to both American and British serving airmen and women, but is primarily known for hosting the 501st Combat Support Wing Headquarters and the 420th Air Base Squadron of the US Air Force (USAF). The base is the preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe for USAF's Global Strike Command. As such, it has been used by the Trump administration as a critical base from which to launch bombing raids on Iran since March, following some early jostling about permissions when the operation started in February. The administration has fielded both B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base during the conflict. Outside of military operations, the typically quiet site hosts up to 170,000 people every July during the Royal International Air Tattoo, the world's largest military air show. Who has used RAF Fairford over the years? RAF Fairford is an enduring symbol of American and British cooperation, and has been used by the two nations since troops trained for D-Day in 1944. The US has assumed control of the base for much of its lifetime, until 1964, when this was briefly returned to the UK. Over eight years between 1969 and 1977, it served as a testing centre for the Concorde, which was developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), now BAE Systems. The site has also served as a landing site for NASA's space shuttle, but since the Cold War has been primarily used by the US in a military capacity. A brief history of RAF Fairford - 1943: Wartime construction begins - 1944: RAF Fairford opens, and supports D-Day operations on June 6 that year - 1951: Control of the base is transferred to the USAF - 1964: Base control returns briefly to the UK - 1965: The UK's famed aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, forms at the base - 1969 - 1977: BAC uses Fairford to test the Concord - 1979: USAF resumes control of the base - 1983: A NASA shuttle lands at Fairford while it is a designited landing abort site - 1991: USAF uses Fairford as a staging base for B-52 bombers used in the First Gulf War - 1999: USAF uses Fairford to stage NATO bombing of Yugoslavia - 2003: USAF launches B-52s as part of Iraq war from Fairford - 2019: Permanent rotational Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady detachment is hosted at Fairford - March 2026: USAF uses base to deploy bombers during Operation Epic Fury - September 2026: Five men arrested at Fairford over suspected terror plot What have police said about the latest incident? Police have said they are still working to fully understand the circumstances of the incident, with Assistant Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Police Richard Ocone said the service is in "constant contact" with local and international partners. He said: "At around 12.45am today police received a call relating to three suspicious vehicles travelling towards RAF Fairford. "Armed officers responded and subsequently arrested five men in the Whelford area on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act. The men were taken into custody where they remain. Counter Terrorism Policing are now leading the investigation. "A 400m cordon has been put in place around the vehicles while the Army's Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit examine them. "As a precaution, around 85 households have been advised to evacuate while these examinations take place. A nearby leisure centre has been opened for those unable to stay with friends and family. The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents. "Work to establish the full nature of this incident is ongoing and we are in constant communication with our partners locally and nationally." What have locals said? One woman who was evacuated said: "We were evacuated at 7am this morning. There was banging on the door and I answered in my nightie. An officer said a major incident was taking place near the airbase and we had to leave immediately. "We've been here for hours and are just waiting for the police to update us, we were told it would be 1pm but we haven't heard anything yet." Cotswold District Council Councillor Paul Hodgkinson said: "I'm at the leisure centre here in Cirencester where we've got a number of people evacuated. We think it's something around 50 people who have had to leave their homes today. "I've spoken to quite a few of them and they're in pretty good spirits, but they just want to go home. We've had the airbase in the Cotswolds for years, it's been there in the village for many, many years. But with the conflict going on in the Middle East, we're certainly living with that now."