Police helicopter forced to dive after unidentified objects at RAF base

Newly released police records and video footage contradict official accounts of a near-collision between a UK police helicopter and unidentified aerial objects over a US airbase last year; This encounter had previously been dismissed by authorities as a routine fighter jet sighting.

According to documents Daily Mail The flight, obtained through Britain’s Freedom of Information Act on 22 November 2024, forced a National Police Air Service (NPAS) EC135 helicopter to take immediate evasive action after reports that two fast-moving vehicles were “targeting” and pursuing the aircraft over RAF Lakenheath, a major US military base in Suffolk.

The pilots explained that they made a steep dive to avoid a collision as the objects maintained speeds of roughly 165 knots (190 mph) for several minutes before disappearing from view.

Nick Pope, who previously investigated UFOs on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence, told Fox News Digital that this episode shows how unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) have evolved from a fringe curiosity to a legitimate defense and aviation issue.

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“This disturbing incident perfectly illustrates why the UAP issue is moving from the fringes to the mainstream,” Pope said. “Regardless of people’s beliefs, this is a serious flight safety issue that requires urgent attention and action.”

Pope emphasized that simply labeling such encounters as “drones” could obscure what could be much more complex.

“‘Drone’ has become a convenient shorthand for all the unexplained things people see in the sky,” he said. “So we don’t really know what we’re dealing with here.”

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A UFO in the sky. (Courtesy of Netflix)

He added that a lack of data sharing between institutions and a tendency to downplay observations could worsen the danger.

“Hopefully there won’t be a tragedy before more is done,” Pope said. “There is chronic underreporting of such events, so the true extent of the problem is likely much more serious.”

Records cited by the Daily Mail say the NPAS team described the encounter as an “unprovoked pursuit” while on patrol near the base shortly after 10 p.m.

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“They had to make an emergency dive and described being followed by two drones matching their speed during the dive, which then followed them out of the area for several minutes,” a police entry said.

Another noted that the pilots “felt the drones were targeting them and were chasing them at around 140 knots.” [161 mph]”

Additional police reports between 20 and 22 November recorded around 20 drone sightings at RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall and RAF Feltwell. It was stated in the records that “10-15 drones potentially entered the base airspace” and that the aircraft in question were temporarily grounded after crossing their flight paths.

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One witness using night vision goggles reported “five to six drones” near the A1065, while another described “large stationary things – tic-tacs – not birds”.

A UK military source who viewed the entire 30-minute infrared video of the helicopter told the Daily Mail that the footage showed “the drones mirroring the helicopter’s movements” and performing a “corkscrew” maneuver that would be impossible for an F-15.

“No one mentions F-15s in the 30-minute video with pilot audio,” the source said. “They’re just talking about drones… basically forcing them out of the area.”

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Enigma has witnessed more than 9,000 sightings of mysterious objects within 10 miles of the United States coastline since August 2025, according to the company’s website. (iStock)

Despite numerous sightings, Britain’s Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded in its final report that the crew had confused the lights of a US Air Force F-15 operating nearby. Radar data showed the helicopter and jet came within 1,700 feet, and the board reported no further turns.

Retired senior police Det. Mike Morgan told the Daily Mail he was disappointed by the official silence.

“There are a number of question marks about what happens in November 2024,” he said. “I have encountered repeated efforts by authorities to avoid answering even the most basic questions. … What is so secret about this investigation?”

Defense industry meteorologist Stuart Onyeche said he believed both the F-15 and the police helicopter were responding to unmanned systems in the area.

“I tend to trust the initial details and assessments of experienced helicopter pilots,” Onyeche told the Daily Mail. “It is indisputable that an F-15 was also nearby… but the unanswered question is what that fighter jet was tasked to do or search for.”

The Daily Mail notes that the Lakenheath incident comes amid weeks of reports of similar drone strikes near US military bases in New Jersey, the broader Northeast and abroad.

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The release also cites a joint FBI/DOD/NASA report that warns that detection and jamming systems have “failed” to stop advanced drones, including a large swarm that was kept quiet until it emerged over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in December 2023. War Zone in March 2024.

Repeated incidents such as the Lakenheath encounter, combined with limited transparency from authorities, point to a growing gap in how governments handle unidentified aerial activity, and without better reporting and coordination, air safety risk will continue to rise, Pope said.

Stepheny Price covers crimes including missing persons, murders and immigration crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.