Icelandic Air Policing is a NATO operation conducted to patrol Iceland's airspace. As Iceland does not have an air force, in 2006 it requested that its NATO allies periodically deploy fighter aircraft to Keflavik Air Base to provide protection of its airspace. The first deployment of aircraft took place in May 2008.

Background As Iceland does not maintain an air force, the country was left without means to patrol its airspace when the United States Air Force (USAF) ceased deploying fighter units to Keflavik Air Base in September 2006, and the U.S. Iceland Defense Force was withdrawn. Following the American withdrawal Russian Air Force 37th Air Army aircraft entered Icelandic airspace on several occasions.

Prime Minister Geir Haarde requested that Iceland's NATO allies assume responsibility for protecting Iceland's airspace during the Riga Summit in November 2006. The North Atlantic Council agreed to this request at its July 2007 meeting. The other NATO member states who lack the ability to patrol their own airspace have similar arrangements in place. In March 2008, Prime Minister Haarde denied that the air policing operation was targeting Russian aircraft, and stated that "It is going to be a general patrolling exercise. We consider Russia to be our friends, by the way."

In contrast with the Baltic Air Policing mission, which involves the continuous presence of fighter aircraft from NATO countries at Šiauliai International Airport in Lithuania and Ämari Air Base in Estonia, the Icelandic government requested that NATO not maintain a permanent force at Keflavik. Instead, an average of three deployments are made per year, with each lasting from three to four weeks. Most deployments involve four fighter aircraft, though the number varies with some being larger.

As of January 2013, NATO had re-designated the deployments to Iceland as being the "Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland's Peacetime Preparedness Needs" mission, and emphasised to reporters that it was focused on training rather than air policing.

Since 2014 the aircraft deployed to Iceland have been placed on Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) status and flown armed patrols. While these tasks were not previously undertaken, it was decided to commence them in response to the deterioration in relations between Russia and NATO countries following the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the war in Donbas.

In 2018, the deployments to Iceland came under the Allied Air Command and were controlled by NATO's northern Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem in Germany. The Combined Air Operations Centre manages NATO air policing north of the Alps, including by controlling the Baltic Air Policing operation.

In March 2022 it was reported that the Icelandic government was considering whether a continuous air policing presence was required due to the increased threat resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Formal discussions of the matter had not yet taken place.

In February 2026 NATO initiated the Arctic Sentry initiative to strengthen its activities in the Arctic and high north regions. The Icelandic Air Policing mission is a major element of Arctic Sentry.

Deployments

The following deployments have been made to Iceland:

DatesNationalityAir ForceUnitAircraftNotesReference5 May – 30 June 2008French Air ForceEC 01.002 Cigognes4 x Mirage 2000-5F Deployment had a strength of 110 personnel September 2008United States Air Force48th Fighter Wing4 x F-15C Eagle 4 - 30 March 2009 Royal Danish Air Force 727 squadron, 730 squadron and Air Control Wing.4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon48 personnel deployed ? 2009Royal Norwegian Air Force338 skv & 331 skv 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon ? 2009United States Air Force ? ?1 – 31 March 2010 Royal Danish Air Force 727 squadron, 730 squadron and Air Control Wing.4 x F-16AM Fighting FalconThis deployment included two ground intercept controllers from the Estonian Defence Forces.1 – 25 June 2010German Air Force Jagdgeschwader 716 x F-4F Phantom II 6 – 24 September 2010United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing8 x F-15C Eagle About 200 personnel deployed 28 March – 30 April 2011 Royal Canadian Air Force 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron5 x CF-18 Hornet About 140 personnel deployed ? 2011Royal Norwegian Air Force331 skv 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon ? 2011United States Air Force? 5 March – 2 April 2012German Air ForceJagdgeschwader 716 x F-4F Phantom II 1 May – 7 June 2012United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron 4 X F-15C Eagle 1 x KC-135 Stratotanker & 1 x C-130J Hercules supported deployment7 August–20 September 2012Portuguese Air Force 201 and 301 Squadrons6 x F-16AM Fighting FalconDetachment had a strength of 70 military personnel18 March – 28 April 2013Royal Canadian Air Force425 Tactical Fighter Squadron6 x CF-18 HornetDetachment consisted of 1 x CC-150 Polaris & 160 Canadian Forces personnel7 June – 10 July 2013Italian Air Force 4° Stormo - 9° Gruppo6 x Eurofighter Typhoon2 x KC-767, 1 x C-130J Super Hercules and about 150 personnel deployedNovember 2013United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 48th Air Expeditionary Group6 x F-15C Eagle2 x Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker personnel deployed27 January – 21 February 2014Royal Norwegian Air Force338 skv & 331 skv6 x F-16AM Fighting FalconAbout 110 personnel deployed16 May – 5 June 2014United States Air Force48th Air Expeditionary Group6 x F-15C Eagle1 x Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker & about 200 personnel deployed 10 October – 3 December 2014Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron5 x JAS 39C Gripen75 personnel deployed17 April 2015 – United States Air Force871st Air Expeditionary Squadron4 x F-15C Eagle1 x Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and about 200 personnel deployed 27 July – 28 August 2015Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron 5 x JAS 39C Gripen The detachment conducted 91 sorties, and included 8 pilots and 60 other personnel. 31 August – 1 October 2015 Royal Danish Air Force? 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon Detachment had a strength of 60 personnel 4–28 April 2016 Massachusetts Air National Guard 131st Fighter Squadron4 x F-15C Eagle1 x Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and about 160 personnel deployed 30 May 2016 – ?? Royal Norwegian Air Force ? 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon 4 weeks June 2016 / About 80 personnel deployed5 October – late October 2016Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron5 x JAS 39C Gripen75 personnel deployed16 March – 14 April 2017 Italian Air Force4° Stormo 6 x Eurofighter Typhoon 145 personnel deployed for 3.011 million Euro18 May – Mid-June 2017Royal Canadian Air Force433 Tactical Fighter Squadron6 x CF-18 HornetDetachment consisted of 154 personnel23 August – Late September 2017 Florida Air National Guard159th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron6 x F-15C Eagle1 x KC-135, 1 x KC-10 aircraft and personnel from both the Louisiana and Florida Air National Guard. Detachment included approximately 280 personnel. 14 April 2018 - 30 May 2018Royal Danish Air ForceEsk 7304 x F-16AM Fighting FalconApproximately 60 personnel30 July - 31 August 2018United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron14 x F-15C Eagle Included 300 personnel 4 September – 5 October 2018Italian Air Force 37° Stormo - 18° Gruppo 4 x Eurofighter Typhoon 120 personnel deployed 11 March 2019 – 11 April 2019Italian Air Force 36° Stormo - 10° Gruppo & 12° Gruppo 4 x Eurofighter Typhoon 130 personnel deployed 29 July - 10 August 2019 United States Air Force 480th Fighter Squadron 5 x F-16C Over 100 personnel deployed1 – 25 October 2019 Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo6 x F-35A Lightning IIF-35's first Icelandic Air Policing deployment. 1 x KC-767 supported deployment13 November – 10 December 2019Royal Air ForceNo. 1 Squadron4 x Eurofighter TyphoonApproximately 100 personnel21 February – March 2020 Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II130 military and civilian personnel9 June – mid-July 2020Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo6 x F-35A Lightning II135 military personnel13 October 2020 - ?United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing3 x F-15C Eagle & 1 x F-15D EagleF-15C s/n 84-0010 wore D-Day 75th Anniversary heritage markings. 22 February – 5 March 2021 Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II130 military personnelJuly 2021United States Air Force493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing3 x F-15C Eagle, 1 x F-15E Strike Eagle 5 August 2021 – 10 October 2021Polish Air Force32nd Air Base4 x General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon140 personnel1 February – 30 March 2022Portuguese Air Force 301 Squadron 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon155 military personnel25 April – 4 July 2022Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo4 x F-35A Lightning II2 x F-35B Lightning II130+ military personnel. F-35Bs deployed for one week; 1 x KC-767 & 1 x C-130J supported deployment. 17 August 2022 – Mid-September 2022Royal Danish Air Force Esk 727 & Esk 730 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon 20 January 2023 – 9 February 2023 Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II Approximately 100 personnel 22 October 2023 – 12 November 2023 United States Air Force 480th Fighter Squadron 4 x F-16C Approximately 100 personnel 15 January – mid-February 2024 Royal Norwegian Air Force331 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II Approximately 100 personnel 3 June 2024 – 17 June 2024 United States Air Force492nd Fighter Squadron 4 x F-15E Strike Eagle 120 personnel 5 August - 2 September 2024 Royal Air Force 617 Squadron4 x F-35B Lightning II 180 personnel January 2025 - February 2025 Finnish Air Force 11 Squadron 4 x F/A-18 Hornet 50 personnel 31 May 2025 – July 2025 Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron5 x JAS 39C GripenApproximately 95 personnel deployed22 July 2025 – 16 August 2025 Spanish Air Force Ala 15 (15th Wing) 6 x EF-18 Hornet Approximately 130 personnel deployed 16 August 2025 – 15 September 2025 Belgian Air Force 350th Fighter Squadron 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon Approximately 100 personnel deployed Early February 2026 - Mid-March 2026 Swedish Air Force F 7 Skaraborg Wing 6 x JAS Gripen Approximately 110 personnel deployed 2 July 2026 - late July 2026Fleet Air Arm 809 Naval Air Squadron F-35B Lightning IIs Operating from HMS Prince of Wales 7 August 2026 – early September 2026 Belgian Air Force 350th Fighter Squadron (TBC) 4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon Approximately 100 personnel deployed

A planned deployment of four British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons from No. 3 (F) Squadron in December 2008 was cancelled as a result of the Icesave dispute between Britain and Iceland. Poland also cancelled a planned deployment of F-16 fighters to Iceland in 2010 due to the impact of the 2008 financial crisis. As part of the terms of an agreement signed in March 2019 between the British and Icelandic governments, the RAF was scheduled to undertake an air policing deployment to Iceland in 2019.

Fighter aircraft deployed to Iceland are accompanied by NATO Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft to enhance the Iceland Air Defence System radar network as well as other supporting aircraft as required.

In addition to the NATO deployments, fighter aircraft from Finland and Sweden have also undertaken training in Iceland before joining the alliance in 2023 and 2024 respectively.

See also Baltic Air Policing NATO strategy in the Arctic

References

External links