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Sweden flies Gripen fighter jets on offer to Canada as part of NATO mission
Sweden’s deployment of six Gripen jets and 110 personnel leads NATO air policing in Iceland’s strategic Arctic corridor amid rising global tensions, NATO said.
- Six JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets and more than 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 arrived at Keflavik Air Base to lead NATO air policing from early February to mid-March, marking Sweden’s first rotation since joining NATO in 2024.
- Amid NATO's northern push, the alliance activated Arctic Sentry recently and uses allied rotations to secure Iceland's air corridor under harsh Arctic conditions, Allied Air Command Public Affairs said.
- The deployment also serves as SAAB’s pitch to the Canadian government, proposing Gripen manufacture that would create ten thousand jobs while Denmark contributes four F-35s and Peter Hoekstra warns about NORAD interoperability.
- With procurement unsettled, the rotation gains significance as NATO's Allied Air Command called the mission a historic moment for Sweden, while Christophe Premat said Canada and Sweden are redefining Northern security.
- SAAB argues the Gripen is built for Arctic conditions, while last year Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a review of buying 88 American F‑35s amid defence expert debates.
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4 Articles
The Swedish Gripen planes take off from the base at Keflavik Airport in Iceland with a clear mission: defend the small island kingdom. The main threat, however, is not Russian bombers, but the capricious weather. The planes risk being stranded on the slope, and the Russian air force is busy with the offensive war against Ukraine.
Sweden deploys Gripen fighter jets offered to Canada as part of NATO Air Policing Mission in Iceland amid Arctic security tensions
The Swedish Armed Forces’ rotation, running from early February to mid-March, includes more than 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 operating from Keflavik Air Base. NATO allies regularly patrol Iceland’s airspace, as the country does not maintain a standing air force. The mission coincides with NATO’s recent activation of “Arctic Sentry,” a surveillance and military operation aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and High North. T…
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