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US Expands Icelandic Airfield For Tankers, Big Cargo Lift
Article on Breaking Defense. From the article:-
THE PENTAGON: The US is planning to expand and upgrade runways and construct temporary housing for troops at an Icelandic airfield in the coming months, part of a wider effort to boost the US presence in key maritime passageways into the high north, where Russian and Chinese activity has caught the attention of NATO. The plans, outlined in documents posted to a government contracting Website on July 17, build on a previous effort to begin flying more P-8 surveillance sorties from the same airfield. The Navy’s official request for proposal, expected to be released on August 1, includes three major projects at Naval Air Station Keflavik, including a $27.8 million effort to expand the apron at the airfield to support “operations for a squadron of US Air Force or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aerial refueler equivalent aircraft,” along with airfield lighting. Another $15.6 million project would build a new Dangerous Cargo Pad able to handle aircraft as large as a C-5 Galaxy cargo plane, and the final bit of work revolves around a $6 million project to clear a 40,000 sq. meter troop housing area, surrounded by a security fence. |
Kevflavik has been a one horse town without the horse since the Americans left, perhaps a few more Americans will help the local economy. |
We shall know they’re serious about it when the headline reads: Brass Nut to Reopen! :) YS |
It used to operate squadrons of P-3s, plus continuous detachments of E-3As and KC-135s. The accommodation was enormous with underground tunnels linking the blocks for use in winter. The Package Store was particularly appreciated. The problem being, of course, that anything based in Iceland for more than 6 months becomes the permanent property of the Icelandic government - which is why Rockville was owned by Iceland before it shut. I presume they found other uses for the existing facilities - or demolished them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockvi...tion_(Iceland) |
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