Home  /  Newsroom  /  2021  /  U.S. Air Force F-15s certified ready to safeguard skies over Iceland

KEFLAVIK, Iceland - On July 14, NATO's Northern Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) at Uedem, Germany, certified the US Air Force (USAF) F-15 detachment temporarily based in Keflavik, Iceland, ready to conduct NATO Air Policing of the skies in the High North.

"When the US jets arrived last week, the detachment bed down started and, subsequently, the pilots conducted flights over Iceland to familiarize them with airspace," said Colonel Stephen Carocci, Director of the Air Operations Centre at CAOC Uedem. "Our team from CAOC Uedem – together with the US air control specialists at Control and Reporting Centre Loki here at Keflavik – exposed the USAF detachment to a challenging programme aimed at reviewing their tactics, techniques and procedures and their readiness for the mission," he added.

It is clearly evident that the detachment is 100 percent ready to offer NATO a scramble capability to ensure sovereignty of NATO airspace

Fully mission-ready as of Wednesday, July 14, 2021, the US Air Force F-15 detachment will - until the end of the month - be on 24/7 standby with their four fighter aircraft ready to safeguard the skies and continue the long-standing enduring mission of NATO Air Policing over Iceland.

"It is clearly evident that the detachment is 100 percent ready to offer NATO a scramble capability to ensure sovereignty of NATO airspace. This ensures we integrate the USAF detachment seamlessly into NATO's Air Policing architecture in the northern hemisphere," added Colonel Carocci.

The Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem certification team - USAF Colonel Stephen Carocci (centre) and  Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Craig Docker - scrutinised tactics, techniques and procedures of the U.S. Air Force F-15 detachment at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, enabling them to fly NATO Air Policing missions over and near Iceland. U.S. Air Force photo by Rachel Maxwell.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing prepare an F-15C Eagle for a training scramble during NATO Air Policing operations at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland. NATO Air Policing is a peacetime collective defensive mission that safeguards the integrity of NATO alliance members' airspace. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rachel Maxwell.

A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron runs to his aircraft during a training scramble in support of NATO Air Policing operations at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland. Airmen must remain vigilant 24/7 during alert operations in order to respond swiftly to potential threats, protecting the integrity of NATO alliance members' airspace. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rachel Maxwell.

Colonel Carocci watches a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter aircraft taxi out of its hangar at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, during a training scramble confirming the 48th Fighter Wing detachment is primed and ready to execute NATO's Air Policing mission in Iceland. U.S. Air Force photo by Rachel Maxwell.