US Military Drones Land at Lajes Air Base in the Azores for Second Consecutive Night as Iran Operations Intensify

A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper combat drone landed at Lajes Air Base on the island of Terceira in the Azores early on Friday morning, marking the second consecutive night the installation has received America's most advanced unmanned strike aircraft.

The drone touched down at 02:08 local time (03:08 in Lisbon), refuelled over approximately three hours, and departed at 05:44, according to the Lusa news agency, which confirmed the movement from the base.

A Historic First for Portuguese Territory

Thursday's landing of the first MQ-9 Reaper is believed to have been the first time this weapons system has operated from Portuguese soil. The rapid return of a second drone within 24 hours suggests the Azores are now functioning as a regular staging point for US operations in the Middle East.

Developed by General Atomics, the MQ-9 Reaper is the most capable armed drone in the US military inventory. With an 11-metre fuselage and 20-metre wingspan, it can carry up to 1,700 kilograms of ordnance, including eight precision-guided missiles. Operated remotely via satellite by a two-person crew, the aircraft has 27 hours of flight endurance, making it ideal for long-range missions between the Atlantic and the Middle East.

Lajes Has Become a Logistics Hub Since February

Military activity at Lajes has been escalating since 18 February, well before the US and Israeli strikes against Iran on 28 February. Since then, the base has seen near-daily departures of KC-46 Pegasus aerial refuelling tankers, with 15 of the aircraft permanently stationed at the facility.

Beyond the tankers and Reapers, Lajes has hosted a wide range of US military hardware in recent weeks. C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, and C-5M Super Galaxy cargo planes have transited through the base, alongside F-16 Viper and Boeing EA-18G Growler combat aircraft. The base has also received Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early-warning aircraft and Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol planes.

Government Says Use Complies With International Law

The deployment has drawn political scrutiny. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel told the European Affairs Committee of the Assembleia da República that Portugal's authorisation for US use of Lajes complies with international law and that Portugal is not a participant in military operations against Iran.

"What we did was precisely impose the criteria of international law," Rangel told lawmakers, responding to questions from the Socialist Party (PS). He outlined three conditions Portugal has set for the base's use: any operation must be in response to an attack suffered, must be necessary and proportionate, and must not target civilian objectives.

"If those guarantees are given to us and can be observed, we are at ease. Until now, that is what has happened," Rangel said, adding: "We do not discuss national security matters in the public square."

Opposition Demands Answers on Drone Authorisation

Following the audition, PS deputies submitted a written question to Rangel specifically about the MQ-9 Reaper deployments.

"This is the first time this type of weapons system has been deployed to national territory, which raises a set of questions in a particularly sensitive international context, marked by an ongoing war in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel, and Iran," the Socialist deputies wrote.

The Azores regional government has also weighed in. Regional President José Manuel Bolieiro said the agreement governing US access to Lajes should be reviewed in light of the changing nature of operations being conducted from the facility.

What This Means for Portugal

Portugal's position is delicate. As a NATO ally that recently met the alliance's 2 percent defence spending target, the country has longstanding obligations under the bilateral defence agreement with Washington. But the visible escalation at Lajes, from refuelling tankers to armed drones, raises questions about where logistical support ends and operational involvement begins.

The base, which the US significantly downsized operations at in 2015, has been thrust back into strategic relevance by the Iran conflict. For residents of Terceira, the increased activity has brought both economic benefits and growing unease about the island's proximity to a distant war.

The coming weeks will likely determine whether the Reaper deployments remain a temporary measure or signal a more permanent expansion of US military operations in the Azores, a development that would require broader political consensus in Lisbon.

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