Finns on point in the G-I-UK Gap
Since the Black Knights of the 57th FIS pulled its F-15Cs out of Keflavik NAS in 1995, ending its 41-year run providing air defense over Iceland– and the only full-time fighters in the 2,000 miles between CFB Goose Bay in Newfoundland and RAF Stornoway in Scotland– Iceland has relied on a rotating NATO-supplied occasional Air Policing mission to provide for more muscular patrols of Icelandic airspace than the helicopters of the Icelandic Coast Guard can supply.
Since 2008 (there was a 13-year peace gap when Russia was seen as a tame bear), the detachments have been provided by the French, Danish (5 rotations), Norwegian (8), U.S. (14), German (2), Canadian (3), Portuguese (2), Italian (7), Czech (3), British (2), and Polish air forces.
The newest kid on the Icelandic beat is four F-18Cs of the Finnish Air Force’s Lapland Air Wing’s (Lapplands flygflottilj) No. 11 Squadron (Hävittäjälentolaivue 11), which arrived with a 50-member detachment under Lt. Col. Lasse Louhela in late January.
Photos by Anne Torvinen, Finnish Air Force:
Note the old Cold War USAF hardened shelters and the reduced-sized white and blue donut roundels on the F-18C
Toting AIM-9s and AIM-120s along with DTs. Note the tailhooks, which the Finns use for reduced-distance operations on railways
Keflavik has never been forgiving, especially in February, but as HävLLv 11’s normal base is in Lapland, they are probably used to it
The Finnish gray livery is almost light blue in color, which works great in polar regions.
They rely on the Icelandic CG EC225 Super Puma for SAR duties and have been conducting operations with Finnish aircrew.
In addition to operations out of Keflavik, the Finns plan to operate remotely from airports in Akureyri and Egilsstaðir, spreading the love.
The Finnish mission is expected to conclude at the end of February.
The Czechs will return with their JAS 39C Gripens for their 4th rotation this summer.