Icelandic Air Policing


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Air Force ceased deploying fighter units to Keflavik Air Base in September 2006, and the U.S. Iceland Defense Force was withdrawn.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 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.

Deployments

The following deployments have been made to Iceland:
DatesNationalityAir ForceUnitAircraftNotesReference
5 May – 30 June 2008French Air ForceEC 01.002 Cigognes4 x Mirage 2000-5FDeployment had a strength of 110 personnel
September 2008United States Air Force48th Fighter Wing4 x F-15C Eagle
4 - 30 March 2009Royal Danish Air Force727 squadron, 730 squadron and Air Control Wing.4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon48 personnel deployed
? 2009Royal Norwegian Air Force338 skv & 331 skv4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon
? 2009United States Air Force??
1 – 31 March 2010Royal Danish Air Force727 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 ForceJagdgeschwader 716 x F-4F Phantom II
6 – 24 September 2010United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing8 x F-15C EagleAbout 200 personnel deployed
28 March – 30 April 2011Royal Canadian Air Force409 Tactical Fighter Squadron5 x CF-18 HornetAbout 140 personnel deployed
? 2011Royal Norwegian Air Force331 skv4 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 Squadron4 X F-15C Eagle1 x KC-135 Stratotanker & 1 x C-130J Hercules supported deployment
7 August–20 September 2012Portuguese Air Force201 and 301 Squadrons6 x F-16AM Fighting FalconDetachment had a strength of 70 military personnel
18 March – 28 April 2013Royal Canadian Air Force425 Tactical Fighter Squadron6 x CF-18 HornetDetachment consisted of 1 x CC-150 Polaris & 160 Canadian Forces personnel
7 June – 10 July 2013Italian Air Force4° Stormo - 9° Gruppo6 x Eurofighter Typhoon2 x KC-767, 1 x C-130J Super Hercules and about 150 personnel deployed
November 2013United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 48th Air Expeditionary Group6 x F-15C Eagle
2 x Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker personnel deployed
27 January – 21 February 2014Royal Norwegian Air Force338 skv & 331 skv6 x F-16AM Fighting FalconAbout 110 personnel deployed
16 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 deployed
17 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 Squadron5 x JAS 39C GripenThe detachment conducted 91 sorties, and included 8 pilots and 60 other personnel.
31 August – 1 October 2015Royal Danish Air Force?4 x F-16AM Fighting FalconDetachment had a strength of 60 personnel
4–28 April 2016Massachusetts Air National Guard131st 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 Falcon4 weeks June 2016 / About 80 personnel deployed
5 October – late October 2016Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron5 x JAS 39C Gripen75 personnel deployed
16 March – 14 April 2017Italian Air Force4° Stormo6 x Eurofighter Typhoon145 personnel deployed for 3.011 million Euro
18 May – Mid-June 2017Royal Canadian Air Force433 Tactical Fighter Squadron6 x CF-18 HornetDetachment consisted of 154 personnel
23 August – Late September 2017Florida 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 personnel
30 July - 31 August 2018United States Air Force493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron14 x F-15C EagleIncluded 300 personnel
4 September – 5 October 2018Italian Air Force37° Stormo - 18° Gruppo4 x Eurofighter Typhoon120 personnel deployed
11 March 2019 – 11 April 2019Italian Air Force36° Stormo - 10° Gruppo & 12° Gruppo4 x Eurofighter Typhoon130 personnel deployed
29 July - 10 August 2019United States Air Force480th Fighter Squadron5 x F-16COver 100 personnel deployed
1 – 25 October 2019Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo6 x F-35A Lightning IIF-35's first Icelandic Air Policing deployment. 1 x KC-767 supported deployment
13 November – 10 December 2019Royal Air ForceNo. 1 Squadron4 x Eurofighter TyphoonApproximately 100 personnel
21 February – March 2020Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II130 military and civilian personnel
9 June – mid-July 2020Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo6 x F-35A Lightning II135 military personnel
13 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 2021Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning II130 military personnel
July 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 personnel
1 February – 30 March 2022Portuguese Air Force301 Squadron4 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon155 military personnel
25 April – 4 July 2022Italian Air Force32° Stormo - 13° Gruppo4 x F-35A Lightning II
2 x F-35B Lightning II		130+ 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 ForceEsk 727 & Esk 7304 x F-16AM Fighting Falcon
20 January 2023 – 9 February 2023Royal Norwegian Air Force332 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning IIApproximately 100 personnel
22 October 2023 – 12 November 2023United States Air Force480th Fighter Squadron4 x F-16CApproximately 100 personnel
15 January – mid-February 2024Royal Norwegian Air Force331 Squadron4 x F-35A Lightning IIApproximately 100 personnel
3 June 2024 – 17 June 2024United States Air Force492nd Fighter Squadron4 x F-15E Strike Eagle120 personnel
5 August - 2 September 2024Royal Air Force617 Squadron4 x F-35B Lightning II180 personnel
January 2025 - February 2025Finnish Air Force11 Squadron4 x F/A-18 Hornet50 personnel
31 May 2025 – July 2025Czech Air Force211th Tactical Squadron5 x JAS 39C GripenApproximately 95 personnel deployed
22 July 2025 – 16 August 2025Spain