For the third time, the Italian F-2000A jets have deployed to Keflavik to ensure the safety of Iceland’s airspace.

On Sept. 4, four Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets deployed to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, to contribute to NATO’s enforcement of Iceland’s sovereignty.

Over the next few weeks, the Italian pilots will undertake QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) duties, providing intercept capabilities for Iceland, a NATO ally that does not have a full range of air defence assets. Along with the standard air policing activities, the Italian Typhoons will also conduct joint training activities together with the Icelandic Coast Guard and the NATO Control and Reporting Centre.

This is the Italian Air Force KC-767A #MM62229 #IAM1430 that dragged four Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon to Keflavik Airport. They will implement the NATO Air Policing Systems. The rendez-vous was over Cuneo. @TheAviationist @cencio4 @GeopoliticalCen pic.twitter.com/oxlWynq5Ku

— Italian_Radar (@Italian_Spotter) September 6, 2018

This is the third time, after 2013 and 2017, the Italians deploy to Keflavik for NATO’s Icelandic Air Policing.

According to NATO, over the past ten years, nine Allies – Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal and the United States – have deployed fighter aircraft on the mission in Iceland.

Over the last few years, the Italian Typhoons have contributed to the enhanced air policing across all Europe, including Bulgaria, Montenegro and the Baltic States. From January to April 2018, when four Italian F-2000 Typhoons were deployed to Amari, Estonia, as part of the Enhanced Air Policing North Baltic Eagle, the Italian Air Force was securing the airspaces of six nations [Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia and Albania (on a rotational basis with effort shared with the Hellenic Air Force)]. A record within NATO.

The Italian Typhoons have arrived in Keflavik.

On Mar. 17, supported by two KC-767A tanker of the 14° Stormo (Wing) from Pratica di Mare airbase, six Italian Air Force Typhoons have arrived in Iceland to undertake QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) and NATO Air Policing duties.

The Eurofighter F-2000A jets (this is the designation of the single-seaters in accordance with the Italian Mission Design Seies) belong to the three units that operate the Typhoon: the 4° Stormo, from Grosseto; the 36° Stormo, from Gioia del Colle; and the 37° Stormo, from Trapani.

The aircraft will operate until mid-April as part of a Task Force where personnel and equipment are completely integrated and interchangeable thanks to fully standardized procedures and training.

The images in this post were taken by photographer Eggert Norðdahl as the Typhoons arrived at Keflavik airbase for their second tour of duty in Iceland: in June 2013, as part of Operation “Icy Skies”, six Italian Eurofighters securing the airspace on the ally in the “High North.”

Image credit: Eggert Norðdahl

Related articles

• The Italian Air Force showcases its most advanced aircraft and capabilities at Rivolto airshow.
• The Italian Air Force has just unveiled two Eurofighter Typhoon jets with special colored tails
• [Photo] Armed Czech JAS-39 Gripen jets deploy to Iceland for NATO Air Policing Mission
• Following bomb threat two Italian Typhoon jets perform supersonic scramble to escort Lebanese Airbus 320
• Italian Air Force KC-767 becomes first international tanker to refuel an F-35
• Photo shows a tanker surrounded by five thirsty Eurofighter Typhoons jets at night
• Italian Typhoons scrambled for the 27th time in 2015 to intercept Russian plane over the Baltic Sea

Salva

The Italian Eurofighter Typhoons are deploying to Iceland to provide Iceland’s air defense duties.

From Mar. 16 to mid-April 2017, a detachment of six Eurofighter Typhoons belonging to all the Italian Air Force units that operate the Euro-canard aircraft will be based at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, to support NATO’s mission that provide Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet the Northern European country’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs.

NATO has rotated fighter jets to Iceland since 2008, in an effort to provide QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) duties while strengthening cooperation between allied air arms with Iceland’s air surveillance integrated into NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System. Three times a year, allied combat planes operate over Iceland for several weeks “to ensure the Alliance can conduct full-scale peacetime air policing with minimum delay if required by real world events.”

This is the second time the Italian Air Force sends its Typhoons to Iceland: in June 2013, as part of Operation “Icy Skies”, Italian Eurofighters with 4°, 36° and 37° Stormo (Wings) deployed to Keflavik along with support personnel as well as air defense controllers from GRCDA (Air Surveillance Squadron), 21st and 22nd Radar Squadron, respectively, based in Poggio Renatico (Ferrara), Poggio Ballone (Grosseto)  e Licola (Naples), that provided reporting and control services and airspace surveillance services within the Iceland AOR (Area Of Responsibility).

“We operate in many areas to mitigate threats and prevent risks,” said the Italian MoD Roberta Pinotti, in a statement on Rome’s participation in international missions. “We have to provide our contribution to make this world more peaceful.”

The Italian Air Force, provides air policing of Slovenia and Albania airspaces, and has supported BAP (Baltic Air Patrol) mission in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the first half of 2015.

Image credit: Iolanda Frisina

Related articles

• Here are the photos of the Italian Eurofighter Typhoons departing for their first Red Flag exercise
• Eurofighter Typhoon cockpit as you’ve never seen it before
• Exercise Anatolian Eagle 2014-2: Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Spain and the UK train for real combat ops
• Stunning Photos Show the F-22 Raptor training with the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale in the U.S.
• In photos, U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers blast through Green Flag-West 15-02
• GoPro video: aboard French Rafale dogfighting alongside RAF Typhoons and US F-22s during TrilatEx
• The Italian Air Force has just unveiled two Eurofighter Typhoon jets with special colored tails

Salva

Salva

Here are the first photos of the Czech Air Force JAS-39 Gripen fighter planes deploying to Iceland to undertake Icelandic Air Policing duty.

The Czech Air Force has deployed five of its JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft and a total of 80 aircrew and ground personnel from 21st Tactical Air Force Base Čáslav to Iceland.

Their ferry flight to Keflavik was supported by an Italian Air Force KC-767A tanker from the 14° Stormo (Wing) based at Pratica di Mare.

The Gripens mission is to provide Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs (ASICIPPN) on behalf of NATO.

Noteworthy, the aircraft deployed to Iceland carrying live AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

Image credit: Eggert Norðdahl

 

Related articles

• Photo proves Libyan Mig-21s (not Egyptian aircraft) have conducted air strikes in Benghazi recently
• Video shows what aerial combat looks like from aboard a Bulgarian Mig-29 Fulcrum
• Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner loses radio contact gets intercepted by Italian Typhoons
• Operation Allied Force: B-52 Stratofortress bombers involvement in the Air Campaign over Kosovo
• This may be the first video to show an ISIS jet in flight in Syria
• Spectacular Photo of U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft with the full moon in the background
• [Video] U.S. Marine Corps Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and (armed) Harrier refueled over the Mediterranean Sea