Mildenhall is largest USAF base in the UK but rarely gets the attention it deserves from the peace movement. Although it does not have large numbers of bomber and fighter jets, it plays a vital role in the US war machine.
Refuelling
The plane that you are most likely to see at Mildenhall is the KC-135 Stratotanker air refuelling plane. They are used extensively in conflicts to extend the range of other military aircraft. For example, they refuelled the F-111’s from Lakenheath for the bombing of Libya in 19861.
They are some of the oldest military planes – some of the ones at Mildenhall were used in the Vietnam War.
They can carry over 90 tonnes of aviation fuel2 and use over 44 gallons of fuel per minute3. This also poses a possible risk in the case of one of the planes crashing or exploding in mid-air4.
Special Operations
Mildenhall is also home to the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).
The actions of Special Operations, by their very nature, are secretive. However, we suspect that units based in Mildenhall have been active in places such as Somalia, Libya, Serbia, Iraq and Syria.
They operate the MC-130J which is based on the C-130 Hercules transport plane but is heavily armed and acts as a gun-ship.
The also have CV-22Bs, which are a cross between an aircraft and helicopter.
Intelligence and Reconnaissance
A wide range of intelligence and reconnaissance activities are also undertaken at Mildenhall.
As well as extensive combat support, they also do general intelligence gathering.
They did proudly mention that they were involved with the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. However, this was removed after information came out about the abuses there5, although there is no evidence that personnel from Mildenhall were directly involved in the abuse.
They operate RC-135 from the base.
Supplying Cluster Bombs and Other Munitions
Mildenhall is often used by the US and sometimes other air forces for refuelling. Recently, Israeli planes have landed at Mildenhall6.
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, Mildenhall was suspected as being one of the UK site (along with Prestwick and Brize Norton) and Shannon Airport in Ireland that were used to transport US armaments (including cluster munitions) to Israel.
At the time, the stockpiling and transport of cluster munitions was not illegal in the UK, although it is strongly arguable in court that their use was illegal due to their indiscriminate effect.
Although cluster munitions are now illegal in the UK, the UK government does not know what happens at RAF bases used by the US air force. The UK has also been involved with the US to exploit a ‘loophole’ in the law7.
During the 2006 peace protestors set up a camp outside Mildenhall Airbase.
Special Rendition (Torture) Flights
‘Private’ flights have also been seen at Mildenhall and some of them have been linked to the CIA raising the prospect that they were Extraordinary Rendition flights8. This is when the CIA kidnap people and transport them to countries to be interrogated, tortured or disappeared. In the words of former CIA agent Robert Baer9: “If you want a serious interrogation, you send a prisoner to Jordan. If you want them to be tortured, you send them to Syria. If you want someone to disappear — never to see them again — you send them to Egypt.”
Over 1000 secret CIA flights have been documented across Europe10 and the UK government tried to cover up its role in supporting extraordinary rendition11.
Protests And Peace Camp
Although Mildenhall has had fewer protests than nearby Lakenheath there have been several actions, protests and a peace camp at the base.
In January 2003, 15 protestors broke into the base in protest at the involvement in the war in Iraq12.
As mentioned previously, in 2006 a peace camp was set up outside the base to highlight the possible role of the base in supplying arms to Israel13. Although no cluster munitions were observed at Mildenhall, during the peace camp, some of the protestors visited nearby Lakenheath and observed CBU-87 cluster bombs outside a munitions dump in the base. I will cover this in another post.
Further Information
1 1986 United States bombing of Libya; WIkipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_United_States_bombing_of_Libya)
2 The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker: a vital military asset; Aerotime Hub; 29 July 2023 (https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/the-boeing-kc-135-stratotanker)
3 Climate change protest at RAF Mildenhall; Eastern Daily Press; 11th August 2008 (https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20686538.climate-change-protest-raf-mildenhall/)
4 Why Were KC-135 Tankers Exploding?; Plane & Pilot; 15 July 2022 (https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/pilot-talk/why-were-kc-135-tankers-exploding/)
5 Torture at Abu Ghraib; Seymour M. Hersh; The New Yorker; 30 April 2004 (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/05/10/torture-at-abu-ghraib)
6 UK refuses to disclose what Israeli military planes landing in Britain have onboard; 6 March 2024 (https://www.declassifieduk.org/uk-refuses-to-disclose-what-israeli-military-planes-landing-in-britain-have-onboard/)
7 WikiLeaks cables: Secret deal let Americans sidestep cluster bomb ban; The Guardian; 1 December 2010 (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cables-cluster-bombs-britain)
8 ‘Torture flight’ plane lands in Suffolk; Ipswich Start; 10th June 2007 (https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/21950871.torture-flight-plane-lands-suffolk/)
9 Fact Sheet: Extraordinary Rendition; ACLU; 6 December 2005 (https://www.aclu.org/documents/fact-sheet-extraordinary-rendition)
10 1,000 secret CIA flights revealed; The Guardian; 27 April 2007 (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/apr/27/usa.topstories3)
11 Torture flights: what No 10 knew and tried to cover up; The Guardian; 19 January 2006 (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/jan/19/uk.humanrights)
12 Protesters arrested at Suffolk base; Ipswich Star; 5th January 2003 (https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/21988752.protesters-arrested-suffolk-base/)
13 Peace Camps Set Up at RAF Mildenhall and Brize Norton; CND; 14 August 2006 (https://cnduk.org/peace-camps-set-raf-mildenhall-brize-norton/)
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