RAF Lakenheath (1 Viewer)

[Jamesh]

Not sure about the Armed Forces however this was RAF Lakenheath.

Security: Base security or MoD police will take an interest in you around the less-easily-accessible points on this guide but are normally okay with you being there once they know what you're up to.

There have in the past been some incidents of base security telling people outside the fence that they are not permitted to take photos except from the approved viewing area. This is nonsense. You are entirely within your rights to walk on the public footpaths and open access land bordering the airfield, and take photographs of aircraft in flight. They can legitimately object to you taking photos of the airfield itself but US security have no powers outside the fence and would need to call the local police to deal with you if they felt you were a genuine security concern. If you are hassled, threatened or lied to in this manner by USAFE security personnel you should complain to the station commander at RAF Lakenheath and also to the local police. The US are after all guests in our country - not the other way round.

I probably think they look upon the anoraks as a patriotic volunteer observation force - anyone acting shady in the neighbourhood will soon get a call to the police ...

 

[Clarky]

I probably think they look upon the anoraks as a patriotic volunteer observation force - anyone acting shady in the neighbourhood will soon get a call to the police ...

Correct!
The local and MOD police actively encourage the spotters to report anyone acting suspiciously.

 

[nicholsong]

Yes we pay for them don’t we, or at least in this case the Yanks have

Lakenheath is still an RAF station, with I believe a RAF CO, but we let the US use it - for a fee I presume.

Does the MoD have any control over what operations the USAF can conduct from there, e.g. if we did not want them to bomb country X ?

Geoff

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[Paulypaul]

Bloody noise they were making over the top of our house yesterday was unbelievable....

 

[Otter Spotter]

Lakenheath is still an RAF station, with I believe a RAF CO, but we let the US use it - for a fee I presume.

Does the MoD have any control over what operations the USAF can conduct from there, e.g. if we did not want them to bomb country X ?

Geoff

Nope, USAF rent the uk bases, and nope we have no real control over where they bomb, it was F-111‘s from the UK that missed bombing Gadaffi into dust in Libya years ago. I believe the UK Government were told at the time as a courtesy and to ensure the RAF didn’t chase them.

 

[Otter Spotter]

I am amazed at the number of Dutch and German enthusiasts turn up at UK bases, it’s odd that the6 find our aircraft more interesting than their own.

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[EML]

Bloody noise they were making over the top of our house yesterday was unbelievable....

It goes on all the time here. We occasionally get V22 Ospreys at night, which are pretty sinister. I've also had an F15 land pretty much on my roof while driving past the end of the runway, which does get the heart going a bit...