Where US military forces are stationed in UK and Europe after planes pulled over Iran threat

The US military has withdrawn a number of aircraft from a second British airbase after reportedly receiving threats from Iran. uncertain

The Wall Street Journal reported two US refuelling tankers stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk were diverted to Germany on Monday morning, while several other tankers at the base were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day. asserted

“US military aircraft are hosted in accordance with access, basing, and overflight agreements with our Allies and partners,” a US European Command official said on Tuesday. asserted

“Due to operations security, we will not provide further information on movement of assets.” asserted

It comes just weeks after Washington removed its bombers from RAF Fairford airbase over a suspected Iran-linked security incident, raising questions over security at British bases. asserted

US officials are still discussing the precise nature of the threat to RAF Mildenhall, the WSJ reported. asserted

Downing Street has insisted British air bases are safe and their security is a “top priority”. asserted

Asked what contact had been made with the US about the safety of their planes, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “As you know, the US is one of our top security partners. asserted

“We’re in constant communication with them, sharing intelligence and accessing threats together. asserted

Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements.” uncertain

The official added: “The protection of our bases, both in the UK and across the world, is a top priority.” asserted

Below we look at where the US military has bases in the UK and Europe. asserted

There are roughly 12,300 US military and civilian defence personnel stationed in the UK at several defence sites, Lord Coaker, a minister of state in the Ministry of Defence, said in March. asserted

The United States Visiting Forces (USVF) operate 11 RAF bases across the UK. asserted

The US has had military forces permanently stationed in Britain at the invitation of the UK government since World War 2. asserted

Its main two operating bases are RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, both of which are near Cambridge. asserted

RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire, serves as a forward operating base for the US Global Strike Command asserted

The UK government website says that “any operational use of UK bases by US forces is subject to a joint decision by the UK and US governments” which includes the “use of UK bases for combat operations by US Air Force aircraft”. asserted

The decision making process is not public, and requests by the US to use UK bases for overseas military action is considered on a case-by-case basis. asserted

Here is a full list of the US-operated bases in the UK: - RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk - RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk - RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire - RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire - RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire - RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire - RAF Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire - RAF Feltwell, Norfolk - RAF Welford, Berkshire - RAF Blenheim Crescent, Ruislip, Greater London - RAF Flyingdales, North Yorkshire There are also several UK defence sites under joint command at which US military personnel are stationed, including Northwood Headquarters in Hertfordshire, GCHQ sites in Cheltenham and Bude, and the Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down facility in Wiltshire. Europe It is believed that the US operates between 30 and 35 major operational air bases, naval stations, and army garrisons across the remainder of Europe. asserted

US forces have been stationed across Europe since World War 2, and reached a high of around 475,000 active-duty personnel during the late 1950s, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. uncertain

This figure dropped into the tens of thousands after the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. asserted

The US had around 80,000 US service members in Europe as of April 2025, according to the US military EU Command, a decline from the 105,000 service members in the continent following Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. uncertain

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Germany had by far the largest number of US troops in 2025, at 38,400. uncertain

It is reported that the US keeps roughly 100 nuclear weapons at Germany’s Buechel airbase, according to Deutsche Welle. uncertain

In May this year, the Pentagon announced plans to withdraw up to five thousand troops from Germany, reducing the US troop presence to pre-Ukraine war levels, following a disagreement between Donald Trump and German chancellor Friedrich Merz who said the US was being “humiliated” in the Iran war. uncertain

Italy has the second most, with nearly 13,000 personnel, while the UK is next in the list with more than 12,000 personnel, based on current UK figures. asserted

Poland housed around 10,000 US troops as of 2025, the CSIS said, citing IISS figures. asserted

In September it was announced that US and Polish officials planned to set up a new American base for 10,000 troops in the country, bringing their forces closer to Russia’s doorstep. asserted

Spain and Romania housed around 4,000 troops in 2025, while Turkey, Greece, Norway and Belgium all housed between 1,000 and 2,000. asserted

But the latest withdrawals have once again thrown into question what Washington’s intentions are for its troops stationed in Europe - and numbers could be soon set to drop significantly. uncertain