Join the Swedish Air Force on a reconnaissance sortie with a Gripen during IAM2014

A series of photos will bring you aboard a Swedish Gripen during a IAM2014 mission over Iceland.

As we reported last week, from Feb. 3 to 21, Iceland Air Meet 2014 saw fighter planes from Sweden, Norway and Finland fly two to three daily waves in Iceland’s airspace, launching from Keflavik, the main operating base of the exercise.

The following photos, provided by the Swedish Air Force’s 212 Squadron, bring you aboard one of the seven JAS-39 Gripens the Swedish deployed to Keflavik, during some of the reconnaissance missions flown during IAM2014.

During such missions the Swedish Gripens carried the Reccelite pod as done during the Libya Air War in 2011 when the JAS-39 operated from Sigonella airbase in Sicily.

Colt 21 linedup

“Colt 21” flight of two lined up on runway 11 for take-off.

Colt 21 enroute

“Colt 21” heading for the CAP (Combat Air Patrol) station over the Atlantic after topping off the tanks with Swedish C-130 tanker “Esso 32”.

IAM2014 formation

A 3-ship formation with a Gripen as the leader, overhead Keflavik.

Snickers

Time for some snacks!

Image credit: Swedish Armed Forces, 212 Fighter Squadron

 

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About David Cenciotti
David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.