U.S.Plans To Re-Stablish an Air Base in Iceland Sending Sub Hunting Planes

The Pentagon is preparing to spend millions of dollars to fix up a Cold War-era air base in Iceland as Washington rushes to keep an eye on a new generation of stealthy Russian submarines slipping into the North Atlantic.
Tucked away in the 2018 defense budget sitting on President Donald Trump’s desk is a provision for $14.4 million to refurbish hangars at Naval Air Station Keflavik to accommodate more U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, a key surveillance asset for locating and tracking submarines, a defense official confirms.
The move comes as new Russian nuclear and conventional submarines have been making more frequent trips through the area known as the “GIUK gap” — an acronym for Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom — the route for the Russian Northern Fleet to enter the Atlantic Ocean.
The United States and Iceland have agreed to increase rotations of the American surveillance planes to Iceland next year, Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael confirmed to Foreign Policy.
Inside the alliance, there is concern over NATO’s ability to locate and track the new Russian submarines as they move silently into the open ocean. NATO officials have admitted that the past two decades of anti-piracy operations near Africa and support for ground operations in the Middle East have distracted from the anti-submarine mission which was at the core of the Cold War mission in the Atlantic.
Foreignpolicy

Italian Eurofighter Typhoons deployed to Iceland on NATO air mission

From March 16 to mid-April 2017 the Italian Air Force is going to deploy six of its Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft and a detachment of approx. 140 personnel to Iceland. The Italian detachment will be based at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, and fly its fighter jets in support of NATO’s mission that provide Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs.
This is the second time after 2013 for the Italian Air Force to execute this mission in Iceland.
eurofighter

Nigerian Air Force receiving additional Alpha Jets

The Nigerian Air Force has acquired at least two second hand Alpha Jet aircraft as it continues to expand its aerial fleet.
One of the jets was seen passing through the United Kingdom on 25 March, having travelled from the United States via Iceland. It then continued to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, on its way to Nigeria.
It was flown by Air USA Inc, which specialises in military air combat readiness training and flies Hawks, Alpha Jets, MiG-29s and L-59 Super Albatroses. The Alpha Jet seen transiting the UK was cancelled from the United States register on 19 March together with a second Alpha Jet, both originally flown by the Luftwaffe before operating in the States.
The delivery status of the second aircraft is unclear. It is also not clear if the two Alpha Jets are attrition replacements or part of a larger batch being acquired by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Air USA Alpha Jets were converted for night vision goggle (NVG) operations, according to the company, and flight certified for operational use of TER, IMER and SUU-20 bomb racks.
Nigerian Alpha Jets have been used in the ground attack role to strike Boko Haram targets and a couple have been lost on operations.
The NAF has recently reactivated a number of its Alpha Jets. A total of 24 were acquired in the 1980s but several have been lost in crashes. Apparently 11 have been made flyable again.
In addition to refurbishing some of its existing aircraft such as the Alpha Jets, L-39s, Super Pumas and C-130s, the NAF is also acquiring additional platforms. For instance, it recently inducted Gazelle helicopters, which are believed to have entered service in February this year.
Three Beechcraft King Air 350i light transport aircraft were delivered in August last year, together with two AgustaWestland AW101 VIP transport helicopters. The NAF is also acquiring six Mi-35M attack helicopters and 12 armed Mi-171Sh helicopters, which were ordered in August 2014.
defenceweb

Czech Air Force takes over surveillance of Icelandic airspace

Five Czech Gripen fighter jets are flying to Iceland on Friday as the Czech Army prepares to take over surveillance of Icelandic airspace. Over the next nine weeks Czech aircraft and a contingent of 75 soldiers will be primarily responsible for Iceland’s air defence, the only NATO member state with no air force of its own.
Iceland, one of the founding members of NATO, is the only member state without an army. Its role in NATO revolves around its strategic position and the NATO airbases on its territory. Consequently its defence is in the hands of NATO allies. From 1951 to 2006 the country’s air defence was exclusively in the hands of the United States after which other NATO members accepted the responsibility in a rotating joint operation. For the first time ever the Czech air force will now have the task of patrolling Iceland’s airspace. The planned five week surveillance mission was recently extended to nine weeks at NATOs request.
radio.cz

Czechs will accede to NATO request to protect Iceland for longer

The Defense Ministry has no problem complying with the NATO request to extend the autumn mission of Czech Jas-39 Gripen fighters in Iceland.
The government and the Chamber of Deputies,must approve the new mandate.
Iceland air policing this autumn by Czechs, was planned for three weeks, and it is intended to be extended at least twice, and probably longer.
The mission will possible double the costs.
The Czech fighters will supervise the security of Iceland, which does not have its own military, between September and December. Physically, the planes will only be on the island for about three weeks. The mandate approved in 2012 expects a maximum stay of five weeks. For the rest of the time, the Gripens would only fly to the northern Atlantic Ocean from the Czech Republic in case of danger.
In the Baltics, the aircraft of NATO states stay in the countries throughout the mission. Czech aircraft supervised the air spaces of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 2009 and 2012.
praguepost

US begins Icelandic Air Policing with F-15C from RAF Lakenheath

USAF will begin Icelandic Air Policing operations at Keflavik International Airport, Iceland, May 16, which will continue until June 5.
Primary mission is to ensure the safety and integrity of Icelandic airspace.
About 200 U.S. Airmen, F-15C Eagles from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, a KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall, and a C-130J Super Hercules from Ramstein Air Base will execute the mission.
The U.S. Air Force began providing protection of Iceland’s airspace in 1951, when a treaty was signed establishing permanent basing there. Though the U.S. has since withdrawn its permanent presence, NATO continues to provide air policing to meet Iceland’s peacetime readiness needs.
In addition to the air policing mission, the Airmen will train on rescue capabilities while in Iceland.
dvidshub

Norwegian jets take on NATO’s peacetime preparedness mission over Iceland

Six Norwegian F-16 fighter jets touched down in Iceland on 27 January to take on NATO’s mission to provide airborne surveillance and interception capabilities to meet Iceland’s peacetime preparedness needs.
The deployment will both provide Iceland with a quick-reaction capability of fighter jets ready to scramble if required to conduct the peacetime NATO Air Policing mission, and ensure that Icelandic and NATO personnel are fully trained and experienced to support all future such deployments.
The Norwegian jets will be deployed to Iceland until 21 February.
nato

LA NUBE DE CENIZA VOLCANICA SUSPENDE PUENTE AEREO REINO UNIDO-AFGANISTAN/ASH CLOUD: UK MoD suspends 'airbridge' operation with Afghanistan

La RAF, ha suspendido los vuelos entre el Reino Unido y Afganistán como consecuencia de las restricciones de vuelo impuestas por las cenizas volcánicas y que permanecen en gran parte de Europa.
Esto ha suspendido temporalmente la capacidad de transportar suministros esenciales y heridos y fallecidos en acción.
Para el “puente aéreo" con Afganistán se utilizan normalmente los Lockheed TriStar y los Boeing C-17, además de gran parte de aviones alquilados desde RAF Brize Norton, con unos 230.000 pasajeros por año.
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The Royal Air Force has suspended flights between the UK and Afghanistan as a result of the restrictions imposed while a cloud of volcanic ash remains over much of Europe.
The action has temporarily halted its ability to fly in essential supplies, evacuate injured personnel and repatriate those killed in action.
Dubbed the “airbridge”, the link with Afghanistan is normally maintained using the RAF’s Lockheed TriStar transports (below) and Boeing C-17 strategic transports, plus a variety of leased commercial passenger and freight aircraft. Around 230,000 passengers are currently processed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire per year, the service says.