North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
October 6, 2014
CZECH JAS-39 GRIPEN DEPLOY TO ICELAND ON NATO MISSION
The Czech Air Force has deployed five of its JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft and a total of 80 aircrew and ground personnel to Iceland for the last quarter of 2014. On Monday, 6 October 2014 the main body of the Czech contingent departed from 21st Tactical Air Force Base Čáslav. Five JAS-39 Gripen aircraft of the Czech Air Force will then take off from there on Thursday, 9 October. Their mission will be to provide Airborne Surveillance and Interception Capabilities to meet Iceland’s Peacetime Preparedness Needs (ASICIPPN) on behalf of NATO.
On their way up north, the Czech Gripen aircraft will be supported by an Italian KC-767 tanker aircraft. The KC-767 is scheduled to take off from Pardubice airport in eastern Bohemia and provide both transport capacity for personnel and material for the Czech contingent. It will also conduct air-to-air refuelling for the Gripen fighters on their flight to Iceland.
Until December 2014, the Czech Air Force will be conducting air defence flying training missions and provide the necessary degree of training of NATO and Icelandic support personnel. This will ensure that the Alliance could conduct a full-scale peacetime air policing mission at the shortest possible notice.
Since early 2008, when the United States Air Force withdrew their permanent forces from Iceland, NATO Allies have taken turns deploying their fighters to the Nordic Ally for a training period of several weeks. The Czech JAS-39 deployment is the third this year and was preceded by Norwegian F-16s and United States F-15 in February and June, respectively.
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