Belgium has taken over the mission of patrolling airspace around fellow NATO member Iceland, dispatching Lockheed Martin F-16As to the island nation.

Without an air force but strategically located astride the so-called Greenland-Iceland-UK gap in the North Atlantic, Iceland relies on fellow NATO members to patrol its airspace.

Brussels describes the location as “the heart of transatlantic air and sea routes”.

The Belgian Air Component (BAC) assumed the policing duty in mid-August, with the service’s 2nd Tactical Wing deploying from Florennes air base in southern Belgium to Keflavik air base in Iceland.

An unspecified number of Belgian F-16s are on ready status, prepared to carry out quick-reaction missions when suspicious or threatening aircraft are detected. The BAC says potential threats are typically spotted 2-3h ahead of entering Icelandic airspace, and that pilots and response aircraft are typically ready to launch in less than 15min.

“Protecting NATO airspace between Iceland, the United Kingdom and Canada is a strategic priority,” says the Belgian detachment commander, whose identity was withheld.

The rotational deployment to Iceland will last for at least one month.

Belgium is in the midst of a generational recapitalisation of its air combat fleet, phasing out old F-16s and fielding new fifth-generation fighters and UAVs.

The BAC recently took delivery of its first General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft and has also received eight Lockheed F-35A stealth fighters.

That first tranche of F-35s are currently stationed in the USA, where they are being used to train an initial cohort of Belgian pilots and maintainers. Brussels in July said it plans to order 11 more F-35As, bringing its commitments for the type to 45.

The BAC is also searching for aircraft to replace its four NH Industries (NHI) NH90 utility helicopters, which are set to be retired in September.

Belgium last year ordered 15 Airbus Helicopters H145Ms for delivery in 2026. The 3.8t light-twins are considered in some quarters as partial replacements for the larger NH90s – an opinion disputed by NHI.

The company’s president told FlightGlobal in July that substituting H145s for NH90s will result in a “capability gap” for the BAC.