The Americans have moved their bombers out of RAF Fairford, but we’re being told the base is secure.

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I keep coming back to those two things, because the reassurance feels less convincing now that the aircraft have gone.

Moving them may have been sensible military judgement. But when Donald Trump links their departure to threats, and US officials describe a possible Iranian drone attack, I think we’re entitled to ask some uncomfortable questions.

The alleged plot remains under investigation, and Iran denies involvement. We don’t know the full intelligence picture or what protection was available. The withdrawal doesn’t prove Fairford was undefended.

But it raises a question Britain should be able to answer. Can we provide the protection our closest ally needs to keep its aircraft and personnel here with confidence?

What worries me is how little an attacker may need to cause serious trouble. A relatively cheap drone can threaten an aircraft worth vastly more. We know birds can damage jet engines and force emergency landings. Drones bring hard components and batteries into a collision, creating their own dangers.

That doesn’t mean any cheap drone could bring down a bomber, but it does mean an attacker........

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