Explosive Components Found in Vans Detained Near Fairford Air Base

British emergency services and bomb disposal experts have completed an initial examination of three vans found near RAF Fairford.

Specialists recovered substances that, according to preliminary findings, are components of improvised explosive devices, The Guardian reports.

The army’s bomb disposal unit and specialized bomb-disposal robots were deployed to handle the hazardous material.

Initially, law enforcement detained the men on suspicion of illegally possessing or handling explosive substances. However, after components of explosive devices were discovered, the charges were upgraded to preparing a terrorist act.

Британські сапери вилучили компоненти вибухівки поблизу авіабази Fairford.

Джерело: AP pic.twitter.com/tpGMgutDiI

— Владислав (@Vladislav110528) September 28, 2026

The main line of the investigation remains the possibility of an attempted bombing or attack on the military infrastructure at RAF Fairford, allegedly directed by Iranian intelligence services.

In July, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps publicly stated that British facilities used for operations against Iran were legitimate targets.

Law enforcement agencies are investigating the origin of the seized chemical components and the channels through which they were supplied to the United Kingdom. In addition to the Iranian connection, investigators are also exploring the possibility of involvement by Islamist cells.

A mobile command post remains operational at the football club grounds in Welford, housing forensic laboratories and bomb disposal specialists. Police have sent all seized explosive samples to a specialized scientific and technical center for further examination.

As previously reported, British police detained five men near RAF Fairford on suspicion of the unlawful use of explosives.

The men were detained thanks to a local resident’s vigilance, who spotted a convoy of vans at night and alerted police.

One of the detained vehicles had fake fuel company branding on its body, along with a fictitious phone number, to disguise the transportation of explosive materials.

The U.S. Air Force uses the airbase as its primary forward operating base for deploying strategic bomber aircraft in Europe. American B-52H, B-1B, and B-2A bombers regularly arrive here as part of Bomber Task Force missions.