183 US troops covertly deployed across UK with MPs voicing objection

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Declassified UK
9 Feb 2023 14:24
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The UK government refuses to reveal where scores of US military personnel are stationed.

Paratroopers prepare to deploy to the US Central Command area of operations. (AFP)

UK's Ministry of Defense recently informed parliament that 11,912 US military personnel are stationed in Britain across seven RAF locations, with 52 stationed within the US Embassy in London, according to a report recently published by Declassified UK.

Concurrently, the Ministry also stated that 135 US Department of Defense (DoD) personnel are permanently stationed in "several" undisclosed places throughout the UK, with a further 48 DoD troops stationed in London at secret locations.

These 183 Americans are all members of the US Air Force's 501st Combat Support Wing, which is based at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire.

Its operations reportedly include "support communications, intelligence, and global attack operations, in the European theatre and around the world."

When asked recently in parliament about their placements, the MoD responded, "The [American] personnel are based in numerous sites across the UK, but grouped together for administrative purposes."

It added, “This group would include, but not be limited to, personnel on university courses, industry placements, or personnel on exchange.”

It does not appear that active-duty US military soldiers permanently stationed in the UK have publicly declared that they participate in academic courses and industry placements. It's possible they're living among civilians.

When asked if the MoD would give the locations of the people gathered together for administrative purposes, Defense Minister James Heappey responded, "I am withholding the requested information because its revelation could jeopardize the security of that personnel."

It is unclear why divulging these personnel's locations would put them in danger.

'The UK is fast becoming a giant aircraft carrier for US'

The MoD has also just revealed the locations of the 150 US military personnel that are serving with NATO in the United Kingdom. The bulk is based at RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, where the alliance's Intelligence Fusion Centre is located.

Kenny MacAskill, the MP who questioned the parliament, said as quoted by Declassified, “The UK is fast becoming a giant aircraft carrier for the United States. It’s not just the over ten thousand personnel we know are at air bases across England. There are others elsewhere, and what are they doing? 183 is still a large number and whilst some may be studying, the role of others is far more concerning.”

MacAskill, a former Scottish justice secretary, added, “With war in Ukraine these are worrying times and we should know who is here and what they are doing. We have a right to know everyone who is all on board this USS Great Britain.”

The US intelligence establishment also maintains a significant but covert presence in the United Kingdom. The UK government has routinely failed to reveal even which US agencies are functioning in the country, let alone the extent of their deployment.

When asked how many US personnel were stationed at one of GCHQ's (Britain's major intelligence agency) sites, the Foreign Office responded, "It has long been the policy of previous British Governments not to speak on intelligence matters."

Another level of secrecy surrounds the possible presence of US special troops in the United Kingdom. The majority of US personnel serving under the Special Operations Forces Command, or SOCOM, do not reveal their locations.

However, in 2020, US special operations personnel will be deployed in 154 countries, accounting for about 80% of the world's nations. This most certainly included the United Kingdom.

Kate Hudson, general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said as quoted by Declassified, “The extent of the US military presence in Britain is shocking, not least because they appear to operate and control a number of military bases without scrutiny or accountability. To discover that there are additional personnel at undisclosed locations – doing who knows what and why – is an additional affront.”

Hudson added, “It’s time for this to change: parliament must be informed of everything pertaining to the so-called ‘special relationship’ with the US, and a new transparency established.”

Following the MoD's refusal to publish the numbers, Declassified revealed last week that 129 US airmen will be sent to Britain's colonies on Cyprus.