laststandonzombieisland

Here we see Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, the Icelandic minister of foreign affairs, visiting the 688i class hunter killer USS Newport News (SSN-750), while the boat is tied up remote Grundartangi, last week.

Those are some comfortable-looking shoes (USN image)

Newport News was escorted in by the Icelandic Coast Guard cutter Tyr (ICG image)

And assisted by Faxaflóahafnir-owned tugs. Faxaflóahafnir is a government (municipal) owned ports enterprise. (USN image)

(USN image)

Faxaflóahafnir operates Grundartangi as an industrial port some 45 minutes north of Reykjavik by car, while the nearest town, Hvalfjarðarsveit, has a population of about 600.

While it seems like such a small deal, it is big for Iceland, which has notoriously been hands-off when it comes to warships, even those of NATO allies, calling in the country’s ports.

As we’ve previously covered, the country has played host to at least a half dozen Amerian subs since April 2023– including one of SUBRON 12’s Block III Virginia-class hunter-killers, USS Delaware (SSN 791)-– in the waters of Eyjafjordur for partial resupply and crew swaps, becoming sort of a new Holy Loch North. However, this is the first time an SSN has been tied up.

The Navy made sure to note this latest visit as  “historic,” and Adm. Stuart B. Munsch, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and a career submariner himself, came aboard to pin on new Dolphins on the crew that earned them this deployment.

“Iceland’s support and strategic location are critical to collective defense in the North Atlantic,” said Munsch. “Our submariners stand the watch where few can, providing unmatched undersea dominance and ensuring our nations remain secure and free.”

Meanwhile, Newport News, commissioned in 1989, is one of the oldest boats still active in SUBLANT’s inventory and is slated to begin standing down in FY26. The Icelandic government was quick to note that she “ber ekki kjarnavopn” (does not carry nuclear weapons).