Defense Minister Jana Černochová recently visited Czech soldiers in Iceland, where they are currently serving as part of an alliance mission. The Czech Air Force began its mission in Iceland at the end of May this year. Five JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets were deployed from the Čáslav base, along with more than 70 members of the Czech Air Force. The presence of Czech Gripen aircraft in Iceland was evident at the beginning of the visit, when two of these aircraft escorted the minister's plane before landing on the island and accompanied it to the runway.

Czech pilots operate from Keflavík International Airport and are ready to respond to any airspace violations. JAS-39 Gripen aircraft have been deployed in Iceland three times in the past, most recently in 2016.

The presence of Czech soldiers at Keflavík Airport in Iceland is evident, among other things, from the Czech flag flying at the base. During her visit, the Minister of Defense addressed the soldiers and thanked them for their dedication, professionalism, and representation of the Czech Republic abroad. She also inspected the Gripen aircraft directly at the base. According to Černochová, Czech soldiers are gaining valuable experience in Iceland.

Five Gripen aircraft for five weeks

“It is important for the Czech Republic, for the entire North Atlantic Alliance, and, last but not least, for our soldiers. In Iceland, our soldiers can test all their skills in conditions that are not entirely typical in terms of climate and natural environment,” the Minister of Defense told reporters on site.

Although Iceland is one of the 12 founding members of the North Atlantic Alliance, it is the only country without its own army, and this mission is therefore part of NATO's collective defense system.

During her two-day trip to Iceland, Jana Černochová also met with Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, who is also responsible for defense.

In February this year, Iceland, together with other Nordic and Baltic states, pledged to increase military aid to Kyiv. “I had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also responsible for defense. Both she and her colleagues expressed their enormous gratitude to the Czech Republic and our soldiers for the way they are operating here. This is the fourth mission in Iceland. We are in an environment that is strategic for the North Atlantic Alliance. Iceland is one of the founding members of the North Atlantic Alliance, having joined NATO in 1949, and they knew very well why they were doing so at the time,” said Defense Minister Černochová.

Gripen aircraft and F-35 training

JAS-39 Gripen pilot Ondřej Španko explained that their tasks in Iceland are divided into two groups. “One is airspace protection, and the second, equally important task is to maintain local conditions. This means both personnel and infrastructure being ready, in case an alliance unit arrives and needs to operate from here. If something happens in the airspace – for example, a loss of contact with a commercial aircraft or another aircraft approaching without diplomatic clearance or failing to meet certain parameters – we are ready to take off at any time to assess and resolve the situation,” explains pilot Ondřej Španko.

In connection with the Gripen aircraft, the Czech Ministry of Defense announced in early June that it had agreed to Sweden's offer to continue using the JAS-39 Gripen aircraft. The conclusion of the contract until 2035 was supported by the Defense Minister's Council, and the draft contract will be presented to the government.

Extending the use of Gripen aircraft will help bridge the period when fifth-generation F-35 aircraft will be gradually introduced into the Czech Armed Forces, following a decision by Petr Fiala's government in 2023.

Minister Černochová also commented on the planned transition from Gripen to American F-35s in Iceland: “We have decided to purchase F-35 aircraft. Here we had the opportunity to discuss with soldiers that we will continue to use the existing aircraft for another ten years and how the transition to the new platform will take place. Eight of our soldiers have already been to the US for their first courses, where they became familiar with the F-35 aircraft. This is the future that lies ahead of us, but we still have ten years on the Gripen aircraft,” said the minister.

The Czech Republic has been involved in guarding the airspace of NATO member states since 2009. Our pilots have been to the Baltic states four times and have patrolled the skies over Iceland three times. These missions have always involved air and ground personnel from the 21st Tactical Air Force Base in Čáslav.