The Luftwaffe has deployed a fighter detachment to Iceland to demonstrate an Agile Combat Employment (ACE), NATO has reported.
Six Eurofighters and two A400M transport aircraft arrived at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, from 26-28 July 2023 and then took part in Exercise ‘Rapid Viking 2023’ with the Icelandic Coast Guard and other regional allies from 1-10 August.
“The deployment of a 30-strong contingent with six Eurofighters to the High North demonstrates Germany’s readiness and ability to swiftly employ an air power capability with lean structures to any location we are needed,” the commander of the German detachment, Lieutenant Colonel Marco Brunhofer, was quoted as saying in a 2 August NATO press release. “We are in Iceland for two weeks and intend to fly up to eight training sorties each day to familiarise with the Icelandic airspace and the staff of the NATO Control and Reporting Centre Keflavik, who will tactically control our flying activities.
“The changed global security situation has had impacts on the High North, and against this background the German Air Force makes a valuable contribution to Icelandic security and sovereignty and Alliance Deterrence and Defence,” Lt Col Brunhofer added. “Air forces are first responders and need to be able to swiftly and efficiently project air power. With the deployment under ‘Rapid Viking’ we generate a maximum operational footprint with minimum personal and material resources.”
The German deployment is a bilateral stand-alone training project that is complementary to NATO’s enduring mission of providing Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs (ASIC IPPN). This enduring peacetime mission ensures that the NATO allies maintain a periodic presence of NATO fighter aircraft at Keflavik to help keep Icelandic airspace secure.
Peter Felstead
