2024 · RAF Lakenheath, UK; Ramstein, Germany
Drones over U.S. bases in Europe
Single infrared frame from the NPAS 51 FLIR at 21:47:25, the moment linked to the near-miss; a small dark point near the top of the frame, turret azimuth 079 deg relative. 2024-11-22 21:47:25 UTC, Near RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK (NPAS 51 position 52:15:50N 0:24:26E, 4877 ft). Status: Authentic official frame; UK Airprox Board attributes the encounter to an F-15 (see previous item). Note: Object is a few pixels; identification rests on the Airprox Board timeline and ADS-B, not on the image. · NPAS 51 helicopter camera; published by NPAS via FOI (frame extracted by us; same frame was published by the Daily Mail, Nov 2025)
WhenNovember 2024
WhereRAF Lakenheath, UK; Ramstein, Germany
Backing7 independent
Witnesses2 named
Evidenceofficial records, documents
Over several nights, small unknown aircraft flew over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell in England, bases that host U.S. Air Force units. Similar incursions were reported at Ramstein and other bases in Germany. U.S. Air Forces in Europe confirmed the incursions; no operators were publicly identified.
Evidence, in date order (7)
- Nov 2024Reports from Ramstein and other German baseswitnesssimilar small-drone incursions over U.S. bases in Germany Wikipedia: 2024 drone sightings
- Nov 2024RAF Lakenheath fighter launchdocumenta fighter took off as a drone was spotted Fighter jet takes off from RAF Lakenheath as a drone is spotted
- Nov 2024Liberty (plane spotter)witnessfirsthand sightings over several nights, with friends present Liberty
- 25 Nov 2024RAF ORCUS counter-drone systemofficialdeployed to the bases from 25 November 2024; nothing released on what it recorded UK Defence Journal; Leonardo
- Jun 2025UK Airprox Board report 2024294documentthe police helicopter's TCAS did not show the transponding F-15s the board says the crew mistook for drones Airprox 2024294
- 17 Jul 2025Nukewatch UK / Declassified UKdocumenttracked a C-17 believed to carry B61-12 bombs landing at Lakenheath; MoD neither confirms nor denies (context, not confirmed) C-17 RCH4574
- 2026war.gov Release 3officialfiles on orbs near military facilities war.gov: Release 3 files (orbs near military facilities)
How plausible · High
USAFE confirmed unidentified small craft over several U.S. bases in England, with matching reports in Germany; a named spotter adds a firsthand sighting.
- ●●Access Base personnel and nearby residents.
- ●●No gain sought Official confirmation.
- ●●Character record USAFE.
- ●●Independent convergence Several bases in two countries.
- ●●Checkable details check out USAFE statements.
- ●●Fits the documented skeleton Base incursions documented.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
On the record
- USAFE statements confirming 'small unmanned aerial systems' over the bases.
- National Police Air Service, FOI release IR-2552044-25: the infrared video from police helicopter NPAS 51, tasked on 22 Nov 2024 to look for drones over Lakenheath. Its crew reported a near miss with a drone.Lakenheath-Bentwaters: radar targets and the Venom intercept"Looks like a balloon": a weapons-quality track on a UAP at 31,000 ft (war.gov "Arabian Gulf, 2020")
- UK Airprox Board, report 2024294: attributes the NPAS 51 near miss to a USAF F-15 from Lakenheath whose red strobe the crew took for a drone. Police logs reported by the Daily Mail describe a small, fast object that chased the helicopter; the released video does not show that manoeuvre.Jersey dronesAirports closedHearing, 2024Lakenheath-Bentwaters: radar targets and the Venom intercept"Looks like a balloon": a weapons-quality track on a UAP at 31,000 ft (war.gov "Arabian Gulf, 2020")Unknown objects pass within feet of a BA airliner and RAF jets (UK Airprox Board, 2026)
- The Airprox Board (report 2024294) concluded the police helicopter crew mistook a distant F-15 for a drone; the same report notes the helicopter's TCAS did not show the transponding F-15s.Jersey dronesAirports closedHearing, 2024Unknown objects pass within feet of a BA airliner and RAF jets (UK Airprox Board, 2026)
Claims
The same phenomenon seen over New Jersey, operating over military sites worldwide, as Elizondo told Congress that month.Jersey dronesspeculationSourced, unconfirmedbelievers
'We ended up using some Special Forces equipment, and nothing actually worked'; the objects did 120-170 mph and chased a police helicopter.anonymousSourced, unconfirmedUK military officer
On 19 November 2024, the day before the incursions began, a silent translucent wire-frame box about 5 m across with rotors at each corner crossed his garden near Lakenheath.The Lakenheath incursions, two years on: Mike Morgan and LibertyLakenheath-Bentwaters: radar targets and the Venom intercept"Looks like a balloon": a weapons-quality track on a UAP at 31,000 ft (war.gov "Arabian Gulf, 2020")firsthandSourced, unconfirmedLiberty
A huge silent dark object with one red light circled the base for hours; later it turned and showed a white light underneath. Friends were with him.The Lakenheath incursions, two years on: Mike Morgan and LibertyfirsthandSourced, unconfirmedLiberty
Lights went out and reappeared a fair distance away almost instantly.The Lakenheath incursions, two years on: Mike Morgan and LibertyfirsthandSourced, unconfirmedLiberty
On a scanner an American pilot said 'We're chasing the UAP'; then the frequency changed. No recording is known.firsthandSourced, unconfirmedLiberty
Where
RAF Lakenheath, UK; Ramstein, Germany
52.1°N 1.4°E
In The picture
The shoot-down yearsDrones and orbs came over Langley, U.S. bases in Europe, New Jersey, Europe's airports and Australia's F-35 base at Williamtown, and no operator was caught. At Volkel, the Dutch F-35 base that stores American nuclear bombs, guards opened fire on objects in November 2025, and the defence minister told parliament their…
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Connected cases
Airports closed 2025Hearing, 2024 2024Jersey drones 2024Lakenheath-Bentwaters: radar targets and the Venom intercept 1956Langley swarm 2023"Looks like a balloon": a weapons-quality track on a UAP at 31,000 ft (war.gov "Arabian Gulf, 2020") 2020Taiwan's CCK air base closed by an unidentified drone 2026Unidentified drones over Toulon during exercise Typhon 2026Unknown objects pass within feet of a BA airliner and RAF jets (UK Airprox Board, 2026) 2026RAAF Williamtown 2026 2026
People and organizations
Threads · click one to see it on the board
Sources
- Air Force Times: Drones spotted near bases in England
- Wikipedia: 2024 drone sightings
- war.gov: Release 3 files (orbs near military facilities)
- Fighter jet takes off from RAF Lakenheath as a drone is spotted
- Ross Coulthart on the drones over UK bases
- Daily Mail: UK officer on the 2024 base incursions