United States Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF) is a former
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
facility at
Keflavík International AirportKeflavík International Airport , also known as Reykjavík-Keflavík Airport, is the largest airport in Iceland and the country’s main hub for international transportation. It is situated west of Keflavík, about from Reykjavík. The airport has two runways and the airport area is about...
,
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
. It was located on the
ReykjanesReykjanes is a peninsula and a volcanic system situated at the south-western end of Iceland, near the capital of Reykjavík....
peninsula on the south-west portion of the island. NASKEF was closed on September 8, 2006.
Overview
NASKEF was the host Command for NATO in Iceland. The major commands stationed on the base were Naval Air Station Keflavik, the
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
's
85th GroupThe 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Third Air Force, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
, Fleet Air Keflavik, the
Iceland Defense ForceThe Iceland Defense Force was the military command responsible for protecting Iceland, headquartered at Keflavík, and manned by the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006...
(NATO), NCTS Keflavik, and U.S. Naval Hospital Keflavik.
The primary mission of Naval Air Station Keflavik was to maintain and operate facilities and provide services and material to support operations of aviation activities and units of the operating forces of the Navy and other activities and units, as designated by the Chief of Naval Operations.
World War II
After gaining independence from
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
in 1918 with the signing of the 25-year Danish-Icelandic Act of Union, Iceland followed a policy of strict neutrality. In 1939, with war imminent in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
, the
German ReichNazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany between 1933 and 1945, while it was led by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Worker's Party . The name Third Reich refers to the state as the successor to the Holy Roman Empire of the Middle Ages and the German...
pressed for landing rights for
LufthansaDeutsche Lufthansa AG is the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried, and the flag carrier of Germany. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fifth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried,...
's aircraft for alleged trans-Atlantic flights. The Icelandic government turned them down.
A British request to establish bases in Iceland for the protection of the vital North Atlantic supply lines after German forces occupied Denmark and
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
in April 1940 also was turned down in accordance with the neutrality policy. Nevertheless the British government felt that it could not do without bases in Iceland and on May 10, 1940 the people of
ReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's most northern capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
awoke to the sight of a
British invasion forceThe invasion of Iceland, codenamed Operation Fork, was a British military operation conducted by the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines during World War II....
. The government of Iceland protested the invasion but asked the populace to treat the occupying force as guests.
Following talks between
British Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom and the Head of Her Majesty's Government...
Winston S. ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
and
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , the only U.S. President elected to more than two terms, was a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
of the United States, Iceland agreed to a tripartite treaty under which
United States MarinesThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
were to relieve the British garrison in Iceland on the condition that all military forces be withdrawn from Iceland immediately upon the conclusion of the war in Europe.
In addition to their defense role, US forces constructed the
Keflavik AirportKeflavík International Airport , also known as Reykjavík-Keflavík Airport, is the largest airport in Iceland and the country’s main hub for international transportation. It is situated west of Keflavík, about from Reykjavík. The airport has two runways and the airport area is about...
as a refueling point for aircraft deliveries and cargo flights to Europe. The host American military unit at Keflavík Airport were:
- 824th Engineering Battalion (Aviation) (February 1942 – August 28, 1943)
- 342d Composite Group
The 342d Fighter Day Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina.- Lineage :* Established as 342d Fighter Day Wing on July 25, 1956 and activated-Components:...
(September 11, 1942 – March 18, 1944)
- 14th Det, North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command (August 28, 1943 – August 1, 1944)
- 1386th Army Air Force Base Unit (August 1, 1944 – February 18, 1946)
- Iceland Base Command (February 18, 1946 – March 24, 1947)
The first runway was completed during September 1942, and by the spring of 1943 the airport became fully operational. All major construction, including four runways were completed by July 1943. During its wartime use, the airfield served as refueling stopover for two-and four-engine aircraft on flights between the US and the UK. At the peak of the Second World War, thousands of troops were stationed at Keflavík in temporary
Quonset hutA Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanised steel having a semicircular cross section. The design was based on the Nissen hut developed by the British during World War I...
camps.
The USAAF 342d Composite Group intercepted and destroyed some of the German planes that on occasion attempted to attack Iceland or that appeared in that area on reconnaissance missions. The unit also conducted antisubmarine patrols in the North Atlantic and provided cover for convoys on the run to
MurmanskMurmansk is a city and seaport in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland....
,
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
.
With the end of the war in Europe, Keflavik Airport became a transit point for aircraft returning from the European Theater of Operations to the United States. With American air activities greatly reduced in Europe in the immediate postwar months, U.S. flying operations were similarly reduced in preparation for transfer of the base to the Icelandic government at the end of 1946. With all noncritical surplus equipment and supplies disposed of, all U.S. air activity ended at the airfield on March 11, 1947.
Cold War
Another agreement signed between the United States and Iceland in 1946 permitted continued use of the base by the United States. The United States provided all the maintenance and operation of the airport through an American civilian contractor. American Overseas Airlines, followed by Airport Overseas Corporation personnel, operated the military portion of Keflavik Airport after its reversion to Icelandic control at the end of March 1947.
Iceland's charter membership in NATO in 1949 required neither the establishment of an Icelandic armed force, nor the stationing of foreign troops in the country during peacetime. However with the developing
Cold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...
with the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, and world tensions increasing, Iceland's leaders reconsidered. Icelandic officials decided that membership in the NATO alliance was not a sufficient defense and, at the request of NATO, entered into a defense agreement with the United States. This was the beginning of the
Iceland Defense ForceThe Iceland Defense Force was the military command responsible for protecting Iceland, headquartered at Keflavík, and manned by the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006...
. Over the next four decades, the Defense Force was "at the front" of the Cold War and was credited with playing a significant role in deterrence.
On May 25, 1951 the
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
reestablished a presence at Keflavik Airport with the establishment of the 1400th Air Base Group. The 1400th ABG would be the host USAF unit at Keflavik until the facility was turned over to the Navy in 1961. Operation of the airport was assumed by
Military Air Transport ServiceThe Military Air Transport Service was a major command of the United States Air Force from 1948-1965. Established on 1 June 1948 by the Department of Defense, MATS was a consolidation of the the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command...
(MATS).
During 1947–51, while the base was operated by a US civilian contractor company most of the World War II temporary structures were left empty and became badly deteriorated. The airfield complex, one of the largest in the world during the war, also required upgrading to accommodate modern aircraft. The contractor had extended one runway, constructed a new passenger terminal and hotel building, one aircraft hangar, a hospital, housing units and other facilities for the staff. But this was insufficient for the new Defense Force, so additional facilities had to be provided quickly. A crash reconstruction program was initiated and temporary housing was erected during the construction of permanent housing. The airfield was extended and two new aircraft hangars were constructed. Most of this work was completed by 1957.
The
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the sea branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. As of 31 December 2008, the U.S. Navy had about 331,682 personnel on active duty and 124,000 in the Navy Reserve. It operates 283 ships in active service and more than...
assumed the responsibility of running the air station from the US Air Force in 1961. The Air Defense Command (ADC), later renamed Aerospace Defense Command's Air Forces Iceland (AFI) then became a tenant organization at the airfield using the facility for air surveillance of Iceland and the North Atlantic, employing
F-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets....
and then F-4C Phantom II fighters as interceptors. Over 1,000 intercepts of Soviet aircraft took place inside Iceland's Military
Air Defense Identification ZoneAn Air Defense Identification Zone {ADIZ) has existed since February 10, 2003 around the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area to restrict air traffic near Washington, D.C....
(ADIZ).
On October 1, 1979
Tactical Air CommandTactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on March 21, 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC) absorbed ADC's assets, and the F-4E Phantom II aircraft of the 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (57 FIS). In July 1985, F-15Cs and F-15Ds replaced the aging F-4s, and the tail code "IS" was assigned to Air Forces Iceland (AFI).
During the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, Keflavik also hosted rotational
E-3 SentryThe Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American military airborne warning and control system aircraft based on the Boeing 707 that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces. It is...
AWACS aircraft and
KC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was the first jet powered aerial refueling tanker of the US Air Force, replacing the KC-97 Stratotanker. Similar in design to the later and enlarged Boeing 707 airliner, it was initially tasked to refuel strategic bombers, but was used extensively in the Vietnam war...
aircraft from
CONUSConus is a genus of medium-sized to large, sophisticated predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. The genus is known from the Eocene to the recent periods...
to support the air defense mission and rotational
HC-130The HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role and the HC-130N and HC-130P/N models are operated by the...
Hercules aircraft from
RAF WoodbridgeRoyal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, Britain...
from the 67 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (ARRS) to support their detachment of Keflavik-based
HH-3 Jolly Green GiantThe HH-3 is a developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, which was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R. The HH-3 served in the United States Air Force as the CH-3C/E Sea King and the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, and with the United States Coast Guard as the HH-3F "Pelican". Its civilian...
and later HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters in their search and rescue mission.
On June 1, 1992,
Air Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of nine major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC) assumed command and control of AFI and the 57 FIS. Less than a year later, the 57 FIS was redesignated as the 57 Fighter Squadron (57 FS) and reassigned to the
35th WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force...
(35 WG) that was transferred from the closing George AFB,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
.
On October 1, 1994, the 35th Wing was inactivated at Keflavik and reactivated that same day at
Misawa Air Baseis a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the island of Honshū of Japan...
in
Misawa-Surname:* Mitsuharu Misawa, professional wrestler also known by the given name of Mitsuhara* Bastion Misawa, a fictional character also known by the given name Daichi-Places:...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as the 35th Fighter Wing, where it currently operates. The 35th Wing was replaced by the newly-activated 85th Wing. On March 1, 1995, the 57th FS was deactivated and the interceptor force was replaced by Regular Air Force and
Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
F-15 EagleThe McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. Developed for the United States Air Force, it first flew in July 1972, and is one of the most recognized modern fighters. The F-15 is expected to remain...
fighter aircraft rotating every 90 days to Iceland until the USAF deactivated the 85th Group in 2002.
United States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE) took over ACC responsibilities at Keflavik on October 1, 2002 as part of a larger restructuring of the unified commands.
NAS Keflavik was the host command for the NATO Base in Iceland. There were more than 25 different commands of various sizes and personnel from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corpss, U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard in Iceland. Also present were representatives from Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark. One of the largest commands was Naval Air Station (NAS) Keflavik, which was responsible for providing all support facilities, including the runways, housing, supply and recreational facilities.
The primary mission of Naval Air Station Keflavik was to maintain and operate facilities and provide services and material to support operations of aviation activities and units of the operating forces of the Navy and other activities and units, as designated by the Chief of Naval Operations.
U.S. Navy use of the facility allowed the housing of rotational
P-3 OrionThe Lockheed P-3 Orion is a maritime patrol aircraft used by numerous navies and air forces around the world, primarily for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare.-Development:...
squadrons, aircraft, flight crews, maintenance and administrative support personnel from their CONUS home bases for six-month deployments in support of antisubmarine warfare and maritime patrol missions until 2004. As a NATO mission, the U.S. Navy P-3s were frequently augmented by U.S.
Navy ReserveThe United States Navy Reserve , until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are enrolled in the Selected Reserve , the the Full Time Support , or Retired Reserve program...
P-3 squadrons and detachments of
Canadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
CP-140 AuroraThe Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a Canadian Forces Air Command maritime patrol aircraft . The aircraft is based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe, but mounts the electronics suite of the S-3 Viking...
,
Royal Netherlands NavyThe Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands.-Bases:The main naval base is Den Helder, Noord Holland.Secondary naval bases are in Amsterdam, Vlissingen, Texel and Willemstad...
P-3,
German NavyThe German Navy The German Navy The German Navy (Deutsche Marine is the navy of Germany and part of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet (Reichsflotte) of the revolutionary era of 1848–1852 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which...
Breguet AtlantiqueThe Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic is a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, primarily designed for use over the sea. It is used in several NATO countries as a reconnaissance and patrol aircraft as well as anti-submarine aircraft. The Atlantic is also capable of carrying air-to-ground missiles...
and
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
Hawker Siddeley Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft.
Army National Guard units and Interim
Marine Security ForcesThe Marine Corps Security Force Regiment is a dedicated security and anti-/counter-terrorism unit of the United States Marine Corps. It provides security forces to guard high-value naval installations, most notably those containing nuclear vessels and weapons. It also provides Fleet Antiterrorism...
stormed the lava fields surrounding the base during training exercises such as
Northern VikingNorthern Viking is an annual NATO exercise held in Iceland. The exercises were held biannually until 2006 when the frequency was increased.The purpose of the exercise is to test the capabilities of Iceland and her NATO allies, as well as increase the readiness of the forces involved and their...
.
NAS Keflavik employed approximately 900 Icelandic civilians who worked with military personnel, providing the services necessary to operate the base. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the airfield was available for maritime patrol activities, air defense and for transiting aircraft between North America and Europe, in addition to supporting Iceland's international civilian aviation.
The NATO base did not have a
Status of Forces AgreementA Status of Forces Agreement is an agreement between a country and a foreign nation stationing military forces in that country.-Agreements:...
(SOFA) with the Icelandic Government and the base lacked the roadway entrance security gates characteristic of most military installations, having only Icelandic Customs officials instead. Icelandic nationals had unrestricted access to most of the base, only being barred from actual security-restricted military facilities such as aircraft parking areas, squadron and hangar facilities and classified operations centers. During the height of the
Cold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...
, this access situation created definitive operational security (OPSEC) concerns by U.S. and NATO officials due to potential espionage activities by Soviet operatives masquerading as Icelandic nationals. In addition, during this same time period, the former
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
constructed one of their largest embassy facilities in the nearby capital, Reykavik, which doubled as a diplomatic cover for intelligence collection activities against U.S. and NATO military forces.
The base offered a wide variety of recreational services which included bowling, swimming, gymnasium, theater, social clubs, a
Wendy'sWendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers is an international chain of fast food restaurants founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. As of December 2006, Wendy's was the world's third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,700 locations following McDonald's 31,000...
restaurant, and hobby centers. Other services included a base exchange, commissary, bank, hospital, beauty shop, tour office and morale flights. Golfing was available in a nearby community.
The American base staff had their own names for various places in Iceland, e.g. "Kef" for
KeflavíkKeflavík is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland.In 1995 it merged with Njarðvík and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesbær with a population of 14,000 .- History :...
and "Hurdygurdy" for
HveragerðiHveragerði is a small town in the south of Iceland located 45 km to the east of Reykjavík on Iceland's main ringroad, Route 1. The river Varmá runs through the town. The population was 2281 on 1 April, 2008....
.
Deactivation
On March 15, 2006, the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland announced that the United States had decided to substantially reduce the size of the Iceland Defense Force.
During a six-month transition to reduce the military presence in Iceland, most facilities closed and most of the service members departed, leaving behind a core team of active duty and Reserve personnel to finish the job.
By mid-July 2006, many of the military spouses and part-time military active duty staff had transferred.
On September 8, 2006, NASKEF's last
commanding officerThe commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, CAPT Mark S. Laughton, presided over a ceremony effecting the disestablishment of the air station.
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=25499(
Gone since September 30, 2006)
On October 26 the government of Iceland established the Keflavik Airport Development Corporation or
KadecoKeflavik Airport Development Corporation or Kadeco was founded by the Icelandic government on 24 October 2006. The catalyst of the foundation was the deactivation of the Naval Air Station Keflavik which had been operated by the United States for the previous 60 years...
which was given the task of converting the base into civilian use.
Lineage
- Established as Iceland Base Command, February 1942
- Defense Returned to Icelandic control April 7, 1947
- Defense Returned to joint Icelandic-USAF control, May 23, 1951
- Redesignated: Iceland Air Defense Force, January 15, 1954
- Redesignated: Air Forces Iceland, January 1, 1960
- Became tenant organization to United States Naval Forces, Iceland
- Inactivated June 28, 2006
Assignments
- Iceland Base Command, February 1942
- Eastern Defense Command, United States Army, July 30, 1944
- Air Transport Command, January 1, 1946 – April 7, 1947
- Joint Task Force #109, May 7, 1951
- Iceland Defense Force, July 6, 1951
- Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service was a major command of the United States Air Force from 1948-1965. Established on 1 June 1948 by the Department of Defense, MATS was a consolidation of the the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command...
, September 1, 1951
- 65th Air Division, April 24, 1952 – March 8, 1954
- 64th Air Division, July 1, 1962
- 26th Air Division, July 1, 1963
- Goose Air Defense Sector
The Goose Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 26th Air Division, being stationed at Goose Air Force Base, Labrador, Canada...
, September 4, 1963
- 37th Air Division, April 1, 1966
- 21st Air Division, December 31, 1969
- Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command , was a major command of the United States Air Force from 1946 to 1979. Its mission was to provide air defense of the United States.- World War II :...
, October 1, 1975
- Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on March 21, 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, October 1, 1979
- First Air Force
First Air Force / Air Forces North is a numbered air force in Air Combat Command and the headquarters for the Air Force component of United States Northern Command...
, December 6, 1985 – May 31, 1993
- Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of nine major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, June 1, 1992
- Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Force Global Strike Command. It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and is one of three active-duty numbered air forces in Air Combat Command....
, October 1, 1994
- United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- Third Air Force
Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany...
, October 1, 2002
- 48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
, October 8, 2004 – June 28, 2006
Major components
- 342d Composite Group
The 342d Fighter Day Wing is an inactive United States Air Force wing. Its last duty assignment was at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina.- Lineage :* Established as 342d Fighter Day Wing on July 25, 1956 and activated-Components:...
, September 11, 1942 – March 18, 1944
- 33d Fighter Squadron , (P-39D, P-40C/K, P-47D)
- 50th Fighter Squadron, (P-38F)
- 337th Fighter Squadron, (September 11 – November 26, 1942)
- 1386th Army Air Force Base Unit, August 1, 1944 – March 1, 1946
- Iceland Base Command, February 18, 1946 – March 24, 1947
The 342d Composite Group served as part of the island's defense force, intercepting and destroying some of the German planes that on occasion attempted to attack Iceland or that appeared in that area on reconnaissance missions. Also conducted antisubmarine patrols in the North Atlantic and provided cover for convoys on the run to Murmansk. Disbanded on March 18, 1944.
Defense returned to Icelandic control on March 24, 1947. Defense returned to joint Icelandic-USAF control on May 23, 1951.
- 1400th Air Base Group, May 23, 1951 – July 1, 1960
- 131st Fighter-Bomber Group (TAC)
- Federalized Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
Air National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
- 92d Fighter-Bomber Squadron, September 1, 1952 – December 1, 1952 (F-51D/H)
- 932d Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron (ADC), October 1, 1952 – August 1, 1957
- 479th Fighter-Bomber Group (TAC)
- Deployed from George AFB, California
California is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
- 435th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, December 1, 1952 – March 27, 1953 (F-51D/H)
- 436th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, December 1, 1952 – December 2, 1953 (F-51D/H)
- Air Forces Iceland
The 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Third Air Force, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
(Various designations until inactivated June 28, 2006)
- 82d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (ADC), April 1, 1953 – October 22, 1954 (F-94B)
- 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
The 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Forces in Europe 48th Fighter Wing stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland...
*, November 12, 1954 – 2006
- Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service was a major command of the United States Air Force from 1948-1965. Established on 1 June 1948 by the Department of Defense, MATS was a consolidation of the the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command...
, 1954–1962, F-89D ScorpionThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters equipped to fire guided missiles, including the distinction of being the first...
(only Fighter Intercepter Squadron in MATS)
- Air/Aerospace Defense Command, 1962–1973, F-102A/B Delta Dagger
- Aerospace Defense Command, 1973–1979, McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States...
- Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on March 21, 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
, October 1, 1979 – December 6, 1985, McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. Proving highly adaptable, it became a major part of the air wings of the United States...
- Tactical Air Command, December 6, 1985 – June 1, 1992, McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle
- Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of nine major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
- Assigned to: 35th Wing
The 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force...
, June 1, 1992 – October 1, 2002, McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle
- United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
**
- Assigned to: 86th Airlift Wing
The 86th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force wing, currently assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. The 86th AW is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany-Mission:...
, October 1, 2002 – October 8, 2004, McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle
- Assigned to: 48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
, October 8, 2004 – June 28, 2006, McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D Eagle
Notes:
- * Aircraft of the 57th FIS (1954–1994) carried a black/white check tail fin flash. Aircraft also carried tail code "IS" (1979–1994).
- ** No permanent aircraft assigned. Squadron equipped by attached F-15 aircraft deployed from ACC, ANG and USAFE units for 90-day deployments. Squadron was also assigned 5 Sikorsky HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters (1994–2006).
External links