Words by

Catharine Fulton

A task force of around 160 Canadian Forces personnel and six CF-188 Hornet fighter aircraft are currently in Keflavík carrying out Operation IGNITION, a NATO mission to patrol Iceland’s airspace, The Government of Canada’s National Defence and Canadian Forces announced.
The purpose of the routine mission is to provide peacetime support to Iceland as the only NATO country without its own military. Operation IGNITION both provides Iceland with the presence of NATO forces and gives the Canadian military, as a NATO partner of Iceland, the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Iceland’s facilities at Keflavík and the airspace.
The Canadians have been in Iceland since 18 March and will depart on 28 April.