This action is part of the ‘Arctic Sentry,’ an operation launched after Trump threatened to annex Greenland.
On Friday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) informed that Belgium formally assumed responsibility for the defense and surveillance of Iceland’s airspace as part of the “Arctic Sentry,” an operation launched following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.
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Belgian fighter jets took over at Keflavik Air Base on the outskirts of Reykjavik through a detachment that includes personnel deployed on the ground and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.
The objective of the detachment, which arrived in Iceland Aug. 7 and will remain there for one month, is to conduct enhanced surveillance.
“Belgian F-16s have landed in Iceland once again to help protect NATO airspace,” said Glenn Hanssen, commander of the Belgian air defense detachment in Iceland.
“Having the Belgian Air Force assume this vital mission in Iceland represents a significant step toward a single and integrated air and missile defense posture,” said German Gen. Frank Gräfe, chief of staff of NATO’s Allied Air Command.
NEW: Belgium Deploys F-16s to Iceland
Belgium has sent 4 F-16 fighter jets and personnel to Iceland for NATO’s Iceland Air Defence mission.
The deployment strengthens NATO’s Arctic Sentry posture and its ability to counter a wider range of air and unmanned threats. pic.twitter.com/EIMLT6UBHn
— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) August 14, 2026
Gräfe also mentioned that the Allied Air Command continues to strengthen NATO’s air defense umbrella through a “multilayered and 360-degree approach, encompassing resources and capabilities across all operational domains, in order to address emerging and future threats, whether manned or unmanned, aircraft or other systems.”
The mission precedes the deployment of 30 Belgian military personnel to Greenland from Sept. 4 to 18, with a dual objective: deterrence and training. Among other activities, they will conduct drone flights and test counter-drone defense systems. Belgium will carry out the operation alongside Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Weeks ago, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken explained that NATO seeks through these measures to send a clear message to Trump, demonstrating that it is “capable of guaranteeing the protection of the Arctic by itself,” particularly Greenland.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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