U.S. Fighter Jet Downed Over Iran Was Probably Based at R.A.F. Lakenheath, U.K. Airfield

Introduction

Military analysts say the american fighter jet downed in iran on friday was likely based at one of the two british airfields that host the largest american fighter jet operation in europe.

Background

According to the united states air force, its 48th fighter wing hosts thousands of personnel and four combat-ready fighter squadrons of f-15 strike eagles and f-35a lightning ii aircraft at r.a.f. lakenheath and at r.a.f. feltwell, both of which are in england.

Larger planes, including b-52 and b-1 bombers, have been stationed at a different british airfield, r.a.f. fairford.

War Against Iran

How the american planes should be used in the war against iran has proved a vexed issue. With public opinion in britain highly skeptical about the american bombing campaign, prime minister keir starmer has promised that the country will not get dragged into the conflict.

To the annoyance of president trump, mr. starmer refused to allow the u.s. military to use british bases for the war’s early strikes.

He reversed that position after iran began retaliatory strikes in the gulf and elsewhere. One drone, thought to have been fired by iran’s ally hezbollah, struck a british military base in cyprus.

The british government decided that american planes could take off from british bases, but for a “specific and limited defensive purpose” only — not to conduct offensive strikes.

After iran began disrupting the flow of shipping through the strait of hormuz, causing energy prices to spike, mr. starmer adjusted his position again, saying that british bases could be used to strike iranian targets in an effort to keep the vital waterway open.

Downed Aircraft

Iran’s state broadcaster published images on friday purporting to show the wreckage of the downed u.s. aircraft. They showed the wingtip and top section of a vertical stabilizer from a u.s. air force f-15e strike eagle, according to justin bronk, a senior research fellow who studies air power and technology at the royal united services institute, a defense-focused research institution in london.

He said the markings on the vertical stabilizer section seen in the photos were consistent with those of the 494th fighter squadron based at r.a.f. lakenheath.

Uncertainty

As of saturday, united states central command, which oversees u.s. military operations in the middle east, and britain’s defense ministry had not said whether the downed fighter jet was based at r.a.f. lakenheath.

Last month, there were unconfirmed reports that at least one of three u.s. aircraft downed over kuwait in an apparent friendly-fire incident was from r.a.f. lakenheath.

Euan ward and haley willis contributed reporting.