Airforces

t is a rainy and windy day at
Keflavík Airport when suddenly
the alarm sounds in the old 57th
Fighter Squadron shelter area. Canadian
aircrews dash to their Hornets and within
minutes two aircraft roll to the active
runway for a so-called ‘Tango scramble’.
This is a typical scene from Operation
Reassurance/Air Task Force-Iceland, which
took place between May 11 and June 19.
The skies above and around Iceland have
always been very busy with civilian and
military aircraft. Nevertheless, Iceland
is the only NATO country without a
standing military. Early in the Cold
War, Soviet long-range bombers
began regular incursions into
Icelandic airspace. From 1953
the US Air Force’s 57th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron ‘Black
Knights’ protected Icelandic

airspace. Until 1962 the unit operated the

F-89C Scorpion, followed by the F-102 Delta

Dagger. These were replaced in early 1973

by the F-4C Phantom II, in turn relieved by the

more sophisticated F-4E Phantom II in 1978.

By 1985 the last Phantom II had left Keflavík

and the 57th Fighter Squadron re-equipped

with the brand-new ‘IS’-coded F-15C/D Eagle.

The end of the Cold War and the inevitable

budget cuts resulted in the deactivation of

the 57th FS in March 1995. However, the

need for a continuous air surveillance and

interception capability was recognised and

under the supervision of Air Combat

Command (ACC) active-duty and

Air National Guard F-15 units

began rotations to Keflavík every

three months until October

2002 when these tasks were

taken over by the United States

Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).

Further US budget cuts resulted in the

decision to withdraw all US military troops

from Iceland by the end of 2006. The last

US rotational fighter deployment at Keflavík

came to an end on June 28 that year.

To avoid a gap in airspace surveillance

and interception capability Iceland’s

Prime Minister Geir Haarde requested

during the 2006 NATO Summit in Riga,

Latvia, that NATO assumed responsibility

for the protection of Iceland’s airspace

and NATO’s borders in the Northern

Atlantic. NATO’s North Atlantic Council

consented in 2007 and plans for upcoming

deployments were laid out. Instead

of a permanent detachment, Iceland

requested three annual deployments,

each lasting three to four weeks.

The first NATO deployment to Iceland

began on May 5, 2008 and was conducted

by four French Air Force Mirage 2000Cs

military aircraft. Nevertheless, Iceland
is the only NATO country without a
standing military. Early in the Cold

interception capability was recognised and

under the supervision of Air Combat

Command (ACC) active-duty and

Air National Guard F-15 units

began rotations to Keflavík every

three months until October

2002 when these tasks were

taken over by the United States

Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).

I

Left: Two CF-188s on patrol over central

Iceland. Intercept controllers for the CF-188s

were provided by the Combined Air Operations

Centre in Uedem, Germany. Crew from the 21st

Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron and

22 Wing worked closely with the Icelandic Coast

Guard to ensure mission execution and accurate

transfer of information between ATF-Iceland and

the CAOC in Uedem.

All photos Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink

Hornet Replacement Project

The remaining 77 thoroughly upgraded

RCAF CF-188s are expected to remain in

operational service until 2025. Nevertheless,

the Canadian government is urgently looking

for a successor to the ageing Hornet. The

RCAF has indicated a need for a fl eet of 88

fi ghters to fulfi l pilot training, readiness

training, defence of Canadian airspace, the

NORAD mission, and international (NATO)

commitments. Canada has already invested

more than C$311m in the development of the

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. However,

the government has not signed a contract

to purchase the aircraft due to numerous

disagreements in parliament concerning

the matter. In the meantime, an Interim

Fighter Solution is being considered to fi ll

the gap and supplement the CF-188 fl eet

until a permanent replacement is delivered.

The primary candidate for the Interim

Fighter Solution is the Boeing F/A-18E/F

Super Hornet, of which 18 aircraft could be

purchased. A fi nal decision concerning the

Interim Fighter Solution or the permanent

successor to the CF-188 is expected no

earlier than the beginning of 2018.

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #354 SEPTEMBER 2017 // 83