Sweden has deployed six JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to Iceland in its first leadership of the NATO Icelandic Air Policing mission since joining the Alliance.
The aircraft and more than 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 arrived at Keflavík Air Base in early February, with the rotation expected to run until mid-March 2026. NATO said the deployment represents the first time Sweden has taken responsibility for leading the mission, which provides airborne surveillance and interception capability to support Iceland’s peacetime preparedness requirements.
Air Policing has been a standing element of NATO’s collective defence posture for decades, with Allied air forces periodically deploying to Iceland since 2008. The mission is designed to monitor and protect airspace across a strategically important corridor linking North America and Europe.
Lieutenant Colonel Johan Legardt, Sweden’s detachment commander, said: “We have been planning this operation for a long time, and it feels both interesting and important given the current international security situation. The mission is aimed at the collective defence of Icelandic airspace, and it feels good to be able to contribute.”
NATO said the Swedish detachment will maintain a continuous Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) posture, enabling rapid response to unidentified aircraft operating near Alliance airspace. The Gripen is regarded as a modern multirole fighter with advanced sensors and NATO-interoperable command-and-control systems. The deployment also highlighted Alliance integration in air mobility, with the Gripen fighters refuelled en route to Iceland by a French A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft.
NATO Air Policing missions are routine but operationally significant, involving constant surveillance and readiness to intercept unknown tracks. NATO described the activity as a key element of deterrence and assurance, particularly in high-latitude regions such as the Arctic, where harsh weather and long distances place additional demands on air operations. During the rotation, Swedish aircrews will operate in coordination with the Icelandic Coast Guard under the direction of NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany.
