Iceland was once a major US and then NATO airbase as it was a convenient refueling and maintenance stop between North America and Europe. Now, with the Bear buzzing around, Iceland is looking at returning to this activity.
From Defense News:
Resurgent Russia Drawing Northern Nations Closer
Russian aircraft and ships are on the move again, flying and sailing provocative missions that challenge the security and territorial boundaries of many nations — none more so than in northern Europe.
Several northern nations, prompted by those concerns, are meeting in Oslo on Tuesday, joined by the US, to discuss mutual security and cooperation. US Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, on a seven-day trip to the region, will be joined by his counterparts from founding NATO members Denmark, Iceland and Norway, along with traditionally neutral Finland and Sweden.
“NATO is faced with three problems,” Work explained Sept. 6 while en route to Iceland. “Two are directly related to a resurgent Russia,” he said, referring to Russia’s actions in Crimea and the Ukraine and to heightened activity around Europe. “And in the south of Europe they’re faced with a terrorist problem and a migrant problem — the result of situations in the Middle East.
“I’m focusing on the northern problem.”
Iceland, Work said, has become increasingly concerned with the Russian activity.
“The Russians have long done transit flights where they pass close by Iceland,” Work said, “but they’ve recently made several circumnavigation flights” — flying completely around the island nation. As a result, “Iceland is interested in increasing military cooperation.”
Good. Up until a short while ago, Russia was funded by oil and gas sales and now that prices are tanking, they have to find other sources of income. Taking over neighboring nations is one. Ordnance sales are another.
Glad to see that everyone is stepping up to the plate to discourage this.