Local politicians are also seeking reassurances.
Mildenhall Town Council’s Mayor Russell Leaman said: “When a state like Russia says it may take retaliatory action and we have a large drone factory in Mildenhall, it’s of concern.
“Day-to-day, I don’t think it will affect too many people, but obviously there are some people that are anxious and worry. It would be nice to have some reassurance.”
Asked if the town council had been contacted by the authorities to offer any reassurance, Leaman said it had not.
The drone factory is in the West Suffolk Council ward represented by Andy Neal from the West Suffolk Independent group. He questioned whether it had been naive for the location to be made public.
When the factory opened, the MoD said up to 500 jobs, external would be created. Neal said it would be a “massive” threat to the people working there and their families.
He also believed its proximity to RAF Mildenhall, home to the US Air Force (USAF) refuelling wing, would mean there would not be an aerial attack on the factory, but instead there could be some kind of “sabotage”.
A USAF spokesperson said: “US Air Forces in Europe remain vigilant and ready to defend against any potential threats. We are committed to the safety of our airmen, families, mission partners and surrounding communities.
“We continue to work closely with our local law enforcement partners to ensure security measures are maintained.”
The MoD said it would not comment on specific security procedures as this could benefit potential adversaries, but it said the security of defence assets was a top priority for the Labour government.
It added: “The first duty of government is national security. We take the security of our people, sites and local communities extremely seriously, and we continually review and strengthen our security arrangements.
“The public should be reassured that the UK and its allies remain vigilant against potential threats. We will not comment on specific security measures, but Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies.”
Ukrspecsystems has also been contacted for comment.
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