Bentwaters

Bentwaters is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station and United States Air Force (USAF) installation located near Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. The site was originally established as a RAF airfield during World War II. Following the war, it was used by the USAF, serving as a base for strategic bomber units, particularly during the Cold War. The USAF presence at Bentwaters, and its sister base at nearby RAF Woodbridge, was significant, housing aircraft such as the F-102 Delta Dagger, F-4 Phantom II, and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The base played a role in various military operations and exercises throughout its operational history. A notable, though officially unconfirmed, aspect of Bentwaters' history involves alleged UFO sightings and related phenomena, most famously the Rendlesham Forest incident of 1980, which occurred in the woodland adjacent to the base. After the Cold War, the USAF withdrew from Bentwaters, and the station was officially closed in the early 1990s. Since its closure, parts of the former airfield have been redeveloped for civilian use, including an industrial estate and a business park, while other areas remain undeveloped or have been repurposed for different activities. The former military infrastructure, including runways and buildings, is still visible in many parts of the site.