NATO airspace patrols resume

US F-15 fighter jet.

US F-15 fighter jet. Photo: Wikipedia

The latest round of NATO air patrols of Icelandic airspace are scheduled to begin on Monday 13 April. The deployment, part of the ‘Icelandic Air Policing’ arrangement, will involve four F-15 fighter jets and one KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft from the US air force.

Operations since 2008

Iceland Air Policing is an ongoing NATO operation to patrol Iceland’s airspace. NATO fighter aircraft have been deployed in Iceland periodically, on average three times a year, since 2008.

Month-long deployment

Since the US Iceland Defence Force was withdrawn in 2006, Iceland has been left with no means to patrol its airspace, the country having no air force of its own. Iceland Air Policing is the result of an agreement between Iceland and its NATO allies to ensure sufficient airspace protection.

This new deployment will involve some 200 air-force members and staff from the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany. Operations will include approach exercises in Akureyri and Egilsstaðir and the whole deployment is scheduled to last until mid-May.

Weather

Partly cloudy

Today

3 °C

Clear sky

Tomorrow

3 °C

Clear sky

Saturday

2 °C