Americans warn of air base exercise

AN American air force unit has issued a warning to all workers and residents at RAF Fairford that personnel in chemical warfare gear will be seen operating on the base as part of an exercise.

While it goes on, a number of areas will operate as usual, declared ‘no-play areas’ by commanders, so that normal base and family life can continue.

The US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing has issued the alert to the five airbases it operates across England, at Fairford, Welford, Croughton, Molesworth and Alconbury.

From Tuesday, over the course of two days at the bases, each of the Wing’s 14 squadrons will be participating in unspecified ‘emergency response exercises’.

It will mean family members, non-participating staff and even passing traffic could see soldiers in respirator gas masks, or in special nuclear, biological and chemical warfare response suits.

When not on exercise, the 501st’s role in the UK is to help interoperability between American and British air forces as well as maintain bases’ preparedness for hardware such as the B52 bomber.