Six Spanish Air and Space Force Hornet combat aircraft have assumed air-defence responsibilities for Iceland. (NATO)
Spain has for the first time joined the NATO air defence of Iceland, the alliance announced on 30 July.
The Spanish Air and Space Force has sent six Boeing E/F-18 Hornet combat aircraft to Keflavik Air Base to assume NATO air policing duties over the North Atlantic island.
“This deployment marks a significant milestone as it is the first time Spain has stationed to Iceland for this mission and bolsters the allianceʼs commitment to collective defence and regional security,” NATO said.
For their ferry flight from Spain to Iceland, the Hornets were supported by a French Air and Space Force Airbus A330 Phénix tanker-transport aircraft.
During their air policing tenure, the Spanish Hornets will conduct armed air defence under the direction of the Keflavík Main Command Centre.
The air defence of Iceland sits within the scope of NATOʼs enhanced Air Policing (eAP) effort that sees the alliance also conduct air policing over Albania; the Baltic region; Croatia; North Macedonia; Slovenia; the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg; and the Southern Air Policing countries of Bulgaria and Romania (including the Black Sea).
For more information, please seePoland deploys combat aircraft to Iceland for first time
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