F-15s assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, will temporarily operate out of nearby RAF Mildenhall while runway repairs are completed at Lakenheath. The base’s HH-60G Pave Hawks will continue to fly missions from Lakenheath and will not relocate, according to a release. “We have taken proactive steps here to mitigate the noise footprint on surrounding communities,” said Sqd. Ldr. Richard Fryer, Mildenhall station commander. He added, “A minimal number of missions will be flown to reduce noise, but still maintain essential operations and training. Additionally, the aircraft’s flight paths have been adjusted to avoid unnecessary noise above and around Ely Cathedral.” Lakenheath’s runway is expected to be closed until mid July.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
