Air Force Spy Plane Flies to England
An RC-135U Combat Sent aircraft took off from New Hampshire and landed at RAF Mildenhall in England after a six-hour flight.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Military
Live Poll
Should the United States spend more on its military?
A US Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent intelligence aircraft departed Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in New Hampshire at 1:51 a.m. ET Wednesday and landed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, after six hours and 42 minutes. The flight comes as President Donald Trump said the US has no immediate plans to launch new strikes on Iran.
Why it matters
The Combat Sent is one of only two such aircraft in the Air Force fleet, and its movement to a forward European base draws attention to US intelligence-gathering capabilities at a time of heightened tensions. The aircraft's presence at Mildenhall signals continued US surveillance activity in the region.
The aircraft, registration 64-14849 flying as callsign COBRA49, is one of only two Combat Sent aircraft in the Air Force fleet, both assigned to the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Its flight covered six hours and 42 minutes, and platform speed is listed at more than 500 mph.
The players
US Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the US armed forces, operating the RC-135U Combat Sent intelligence aircraft involved in the flight.
President Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, who said the US has no immediate plans to launch new strikes on Iran.
The details
The aircraft collects intelligence on foreign military radar systems using manual analysis combined with an Automatic Electronic Emitter Locating System, drawing electronic intelligence from land-based radar, warships and other aircraft. An earlier Tuesday flight carried the aircraft from Omaha, Nebraska to Portsmouth, and the aircraft can refuel in flight, as shown in 2014 Air Force photographs of a Combat Sent receiving fuel from a Mildenhall-based tanker over Norway.
Timeline
Tuesday: aircraft flew from Omaha, Nebraska to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Wednesday, 1:51 a.m. ET: aircraft departed Portsmouth International Airport at Pease.
Wednesday, after six hours and 42 minutes: aircraft landed at RAF Mildenhall in England.
Roadmap
The RC-135 family has been a mainstay of US electronic reconnaissance for decades, and the Combat Sent variant's transatlantic move to Mildenhall extends that legacy into forward European basing. With only two Combat Sent aircraft in the fleet, each deployment carries outsized weight in US intelligence collection.
The movement of a single intelligence aircraft to a European base does not change travel or policy for everyday Americans directly. Readers tracking US defense posture can follow further Air Force deployments as they are reported.
The takeaway
Military aircraft movements often reveal shifts in intelligence priorities before official explanations emerge. Watching where specialized surveillance assets are based offers useful context on where US attention is focused.
Further reading
For broader coverage of American defense operations, see Military news.
Live Poll
Should the United States spend more on its military?
