Police helicopter in near miss with US fighter jet

A police helicopter had been sent to the area following a spate of drone sightings

A police helicopter reported a near miss with a drone that was in fact a US jet fighter, a report said.

The helicopter had been sent to the area around RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, last November following reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area.

The UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded the pilot had misidentified red flashing lights belonging to an F-15 Eagle.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS), which operated the helicopter, said there had been no risk of collision.

The helicopter crew spotted the lights as they entered Lakenheath's airspace and then headed towards Bury St Edmunds.

"Once they started heading in a westerly direction one of the 'drones' appeared to converge with them and fly above and in front of them," the report said.

At one point the object appeared to overtake the helicopter. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "medium".

The two aircraft at one point came within 1,900ft (579m) of each other.

The F-15 Eagle pilot could see the police helicopter, the report said

Investigators highlighted how the crew on board the helicopter had not been told by RAF Lakenheath of the F-15's presence.

The fighter pilot knew where the helicopter was but "it may have been particularly beneficial for the situational awareness of the EC135 pilot if the Lakenheath Approach Controller had passed reciprocal traffic information to them".

EC135 is a reference to the helicopter flown by NPAS, also known as the Eurocopter, though this model is now called the H135.

The USAF said the controller's response was compliant with UK law and the F-15 pilot was in visual contact with the helicopter.

Radar images show the position of the F-15 aircraft in relation to the helicopter in the skies near RAF Lakenheath

At the time of the incident, on the evening of 22 November, the airbase had been at the centre of multiple reports of drone sightings.

A police incident log from that day recorded how the helicopter had withdrawn from the area "due to a drone coming close to them".

The helicopter's traffic collision avoidance system had also not detected the presence of the F-15s, the report noted.

Ian Hudson, a drone commentator and analyst, said "This incident underlines serious concerns about lights in the night sky, planets, Starlink and navigation lights being misidentified as drones.

"This incident would have officially remained as a drone were it not for the fact UK Airprox Board have collated the facts."

The sightings of alleged drones over three airbases in the area at around the time of the incident are still being investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police.

Ian Hudson said lights in the sky could often be misinterpreted as drones

NPAS said its crew had been tasked by Suffolk police "to assist in the search for suspected drone activity in the Newmarket area".

Ch Supt Vicki White said: "As noted in the report, and in the absence of any contradictory information, the crew acted on the belief that they were observing drone operations.

"The crew demonstrated professionalism and sound judgement in identifying a potential hazard."

A US Air Force spokesman said: "The USAF complied with UK air traffic control regulations and remained well clear while maintaining normal vertical separation distances. As noted in the report, the air traffic controllers provided the agreed services to pilots of both aircraft to ensure safety of flight operations."