The Italian Air Force is set to arrive in Iceland today to guard the Icelandic NATO airspace in support of NATO’s enduring Air Policing efforts. The focus of the “peacetime preparedness mission” is to carry out routine training and exercises in order to stay prepared, and to monitor and manage Icelandic airspace.
This is the sixth time that the Italians have provided an air force to Iceland.
The Italian Air Force detachment is made up of four F-35 fighter jets, and more than 130 women and men, including pilots, ground crew, and force protection personnel. Employees at the NATO command post in Uedem, Germany, and at the security area at Keflavík Airport will be assisted by the team.
The monitoring will be in the same format as in previous years, and in accordance with NATO’s airspace surveillance plan for Iceland.
Colonel Di Loreto, Commander of the Italian F-35A Task Force Air in Iceland spoke to the Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office for NATO: “After being the first Ally to deploy fifth generation fighters on a NATO mission abroad, Italy demonstrates a sustained capability to provide modern fighter aircraft to Alliance operations.”
Allies and Icelandic authorities have agreed that the best way to keep Icelandic airspace secure, is to maintain a periodic presence of NATO fighter aircraft at NATO Keflavík Air Base.
They will begin at Keflavík Airport, and exercises will alternate between Akureyri and Egilsstaðir airports from the 26th of April to the 6th of May.
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