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US military forces in the UK: Legal agreements

In March 2026, the UK Government granted permission for the US Air Force to use UK airbases for “specific and limited defensive action against missile facilities in Iran”. This has once again raised questions over the legal status of US forces in the UK. One of the potential bases for US use is RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which acts as a US forward operating location for US Global Strike Command.

This briefing examines the legal agreements governing the United States Visiting Force (USVF) in the United Kingdom.

Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA)

Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) regulate the presence of military forces in another country, and the extent to which those foreign military personnel are exempt from local jurisdiction.

The agreement may be bilateral or multilateral in nature and there are no formal requirements as to the form, content, length, or title that a SOFA should take. However, a SOFA typically covers:

• the legal jurisdiction over military personnel and related civilians
• exemptions from passport and visa regulations and customs and excise duties
• the legal right for military personnel to patrol bases, travel in the host state, wear uniform and carry arms
• the cost sharing arrangements for establishing and maintaining military facilities

Forces from NATO countries are governed by the 1951 NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which is incorporated into UK law through the Visiting Forces Act 1952.

US Visiting Force in the UK

The UK has had US forces stationed in the UK since the Second World War. The United States Visiting Force (USVF) is in the United Kingdom at the invitation of the UK Government. 

The overarching agreement setting out this relationship is the Churchill–Truman Communiqué of 1952. Forces are governed by the NATO SOFA, the Visiting Forces Act 1952, and further bilateral agreements between the UK and US, some of which are classified.

As of January 2026, there are approximately 11,000 US military personnel permanently based at various locations throughout the UK. The US Air Force's two main operating bases are RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire acts as a forward operating base for US Global Strike Command. 

US operations from UK military bases

Any operational use of UK bases by US forces is subject to a joint decision by the UK and US governments. This includes the use of UK bases for combat operations by US Air Force aircraft. The protocols for this decision-making process are not public. In January 2026, the government confirmed that any request to use UK bases for military action overseas is considered on a case-by-case basis and includes “appropriate consideration of the legal basis for any proposed activity”.