The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the financial mechanics behind America’s use of British military facilities, revealing a longstanding arrangement where the United States covers all operational costs while paying no traditional rent. The disclosure came in response to a parliamentary question from Conservative MP James Cartlidge about the funding of shared bases like RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and strategic outposts on Ascension Island and Diego Garcia.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard clarified that under the 1973 Cost Sharing Arrangement – a pact that has governed Anglo-American defense cooperation for half a century – Washington assumes responsibility for day-to-day operational expenses including utilities, maintenance and most infrastructure upgrades. The UK provides the land and permanent facilities rent-free, only covering costs when developments are specifically mandated by British law or MoD policy without equivalent U.S. requirements.
This financial framework, built upon NATO’s 1951 Status of Forces Agreement, underscores the unique burden-sharing approach of the special relationship. While saving Britain billions in operational costs for hosting approximately 10,000 U.S. personnel across 13 sites, the arrangement also grants the UK strategic benefits – from nuclear-capable F-35 squadrons at Lakenheath to critical intelligence capabilities at Yorkshire’s Menwith Hill station.
The system has remained largely unchanged through successive governments, though some defense analysts suggest Brexit and changing global threats warrant re-examination of the terms. The MoD declined to provide specific financial figures, maintaining the arrangement represents a mutually beneficial partnership rather than a simple landlord-tenant relationship.
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