US military prepare explosive ordnance at UK air base

US military personnel and ground crew have been spotted preparing explosive ordnance at an airbase in Gloucestershire.

It follows US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement earlier that "today" will be the "most intense" day of US strikes on Iran with the "most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes".

A fleet of US military planes have been stationed at RAF Fairford since Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer approved "defensive" US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.

Three B-52 bombers - which can carry up to 24 cruise missiles - and four B-1 lancer bombers have been spotted arriving at the Cotswold base since Friday.

Air activity has increased significantly at RAF Fairford since the US was granted permission to use the base in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

And earlier, US military personnel and ground crew were seen at the base preparing the B-1 Lancer bombers for operation.

Sir Keir had initially refused to grant permission for the US to use UK bases in its joint offensive with Israel against Iran, which caused a disagreement with President Donald Trump.

But at the beginning of March, the prime minister agreed the bases could be used for the "specific and limited defensive purpose" of destroying Iran's missiles "at source".

RAF Fairford has one of the longest runways in the UK - at just under two miles (3km)- which makes it the preferred choice for large bombers.

In a bid to bolster its military base in the Cotswolds, the US has stationed a number of its heavy-duty bombers at the base.

The 146ft (44.5m) B-1 bomber, which weighs 86 tonnes, is the fastest bomber in the US Air Force, according to Boeing, hitting speeds of more than 900mph (1,448.4km/h).

Nicknamed "the Bone", it has advanced radar and GPS systems to help hit targets and electronic jammers, radar warnings and a decoy system to protect it from enemies.

B-52 bombers, which came into service in the 1950s, along with C17 transporter planes carrying munitions and spare parts for the bombers have also been spotted at the base.

On 28 February, Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran, prompting retaliatory Iranian missile and drone strikes against Israel and targets in Middle Eastern countries hosting US military bases and embassies.

The UK government has not joined the US and Israel in offensive operations against Iran.

RAF Fairford, located on the border of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, has been used by the US in the past to conduct long-range heavy bombing missions.

It is one of the very few European bases certified to operate bombers like the B‑1, B‑52 and B‑2.

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