Germany deploys first Eurofighter Typhoons to Iceland for NATO Arctic Sentry air policing mission
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Germany confirmed on February 11, 2026, that it will deploy four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Iceland for NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission. The aircraft will operate as two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft.
As reported by the Spiegel on February 11, 2026, Germany confirmed that it will deploy four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Iceland for NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, becoming the first nation to do so. The Eurofighter Typhoons will operate as two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft. Germany’s contribution may expand beyond four fighters to include tanker aircraft, maritime reconnaissance assets, and A400M airlift support, depending on NATO requirements in the Arctic region.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Typhoon carries a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 internal cannon and up to 13 external hardpoints for air-to-air missiles such as Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM and IRIS-T, as well as precision-guided air-to-surface weapons. (Picture source: German Armed Forces)
Germany confirmed that it will contribute four Eurofighter fighter jets to NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, with the Typhoons expected to deploy to Iceland and potentially relocate to the Arctic region by the end of the week to begin control flights. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius made the announcement in Brussels ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers, and the German contribution is structured around two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft. The aircraft are specialised for air combat rather than bomb delivery and are capable of supporting identification missions and generating ground imagery to contribute to a military situational picture. Germany is among the first NATO nations to commit assets at this initial stage, and further details of the mission framework are to be coordinated within NATO.
Arctic Sentry is a NATO multi-domain activity launched in February 2026 to coordinate Allied military presence in the Arctic region and the High North by consolidating national activities under a unified operational approach. The activity is led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, with Allied Command Operations responsible for planning and execution across NATO exercises, activities, and operations connected to the mission. The framework is designed to provide NATO planners with full visibility of Allied actions across the region and to align air, maritime, land, and enabling components into a coordinated structure. NATO has maintained a presence in the Arctic since 1949, and seven of the eight Arctic states are NATO members, reinforcing the Alliance’s institutional stake in regional security and stability. The Arctic and the High North are considered strategically significant due to their role as a gateway to the North Atlantic and as key corridors for trade, transport, and communication between North America and Europe.
The launch of Arctic Sentry follows political discussions in Davos between U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte amid tensions linked to Trump’s push for the United States to acquire Greenland and his arguments about Arctic security. The two leaders agreed that NATO should collectively assume greater responsibility for the defence of the region, taking into account Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest in Arctic resources and sea routes. Russia has reinforced its Arctic Command, reopened or expanded former Soviet-era bases, including airfields and deep-water ports, and tested advanced weapons systems, while China has sought access to energy resources, critical minerals, and maritime corridors. Climate change is altering seasonal ice patterns, opening new sea lanes, and modifying the operational environment for armed forces, which affects surveillance, logistics, and sustainment planning. NATO’s objective under Arctic Sentry is to maintain security, stability, and open reinforcement routes across the North Atlantic and the High North.
Operationally, Arctic Sentry aligns existing and planned Allied activities, including Denmark’s Arctic Endurance series of multi-domain exercises and Norway’s Cold Response exercise, under a more integrated command framework. NATO’s rotational air policing mission over Iceland, conducted from Keflavik Air Base since May 2008, provides a basis for fighter deployments, and Germany’s Eurofighters will operate from established facilities there. In December 2025, NATO updated the geographic boundaries used to coordinate military activities, expanding JFC Norfolk’s area of responsibility to include Denmark, Finland, and Sweden in addition to Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The mission structure also includes coordination with Allied Command Transformation and cooperation with NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, and U.S. European Command to ensure regional situational awareness and alignment of activities. Arctic Sentry is intended to unify and scale Allied presence rather than function as a standalone deployment.
Germany indicated that its participation could expand beyond the four fighters depending on NATO coordination and evolving requirements in the coming weeks. Potential additional contributions include maritime long-range reconnaissance aircraft operating over Arctic waters, aerial refuelling support by specialised Luftwaffe tanker aircraft to extend fighter endurance, and A400M transport aircraft to assist partner nations lacking sufficient airlift capacity. The A400M could support personnel movement, equipment transport, and logistical sustainment for participating countries. These enabling capabilities would complement the initial air combat and identification role and contribute to maintaining operational tempo across long distances in cold-weather conditions. The German contribution is therefore structured in phases, beginning with air policing and potentially extending to broader support functions.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a multinational twin-engine, canard delta-wing, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo through Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, with engine development managed by Eurojet Turbo GmbH for the EJ200 turbofan. The aircraft originated from the Future European Fighter Aircraft programme launched in 1983, building on earlier national efforts and demonstrators such as the British Aerospace EAP, which first flew on August 6, 1986. The first Eurofighter prototype flew on March 27, 1994, and the aircraft entered operational service on August 4, 2003. Production is divided into tranches reflecting funding and capability evolution, and four national final assembly lines produce aircraft while manufacturing common components for partner and export customers.
As of January 2025, 609 production aircraft and seven prototypes had been built, and procurement totals have reached 680 aircraft, including orders from Kuwait and Qatar. On January 29, 2026, the global Typhoon fleet surpassed one million cumulative flight hours, and on February 5, 2026, the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency signed a contract about the Aerodynamic Modification Kit to allow faster integration of new weapons and certification of additional external loads, including future anti-radar missiles intended for suppression and destruction of enemy air defence radars.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is powered by two Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines, each producing about 60 kN of dry thrust and about 90 kN with afterburner, enabling a maximum speed of Mach 2 at altitude and sustained supersonic flight in specific configurations. The aircraft measures about 15.96 metres in length with a wingspan of 10.95 metres and a height of about 5.28 metres, and it has a maximum take-off weight of roughly 23,500 kg with an internal fuel capacity of about 5,000 kg that can be increased through external tanks.
It is fitted with a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 internal cannon and up to 13 external hardpoints for air-to-air missiles such as Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and IRIS-T, as well as precision-guided air-to-surface weapons depending on tranche and national standard. Early aircraft are equipped with the mechanically scanned Captor-M radar, while later standards incorporate AESA radar developments and updated electronic countermeasures. Data links, including MIDS, allow networked operations and target data sharing between aircraft and other assets. Germany is one of the four core partner nations for the Eurofighter program.
Germany originally planned to procure 180 Typhoons, with deliveries beginning in 2004 and the first units assigned to Jagdgeschwader 73 “Steinhoff” at Laage for introduction and pilot training. Additional operational units include Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 at Neuburg an der Donau, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 “Boelcke” at Nörvenich, and Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 “Richthofen” at Wittmund, covering air defence and NATO Quick Reaction Alert duties. In November 2020, Germany approved the acquisition of 38 additional Tranche 4 aircraft to replace older Tranche 1 jets, and in March 2022, it ordered 15 Eurofighter EK electronic warfare conversions for the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum requirement, including AGM-88E AARGM integration with NATO certification targeted by 2030.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Germany confirmed on February 11, 2026, that it will deploy four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Iceland for NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission. The aircraft will operate as two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft.
As reported by the Spiegel on February 11, 2026, Germany confirmed that it will deploy four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Iceland for NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, becoming the first nation to do so. The Eurofighter Typhoons will operate as two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft. Germany’s contribution may expand beyond four fighters to include tanker aircraft, maritime reconnaissance assets, and A400M airlift support, depending on NATO requirements in the Arctic region.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Typhoon carries a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 internal cannon and up to 13 external hardpoints for air-to-air missiles such as Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM and IRIS-T, as well as precision-guided air-to-surface weapons. (Picture source: German Armed Forces)
Germany confirmed that it will contribute four Eurofighter fighter jets to NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, with the Typhoons expected to deploy to Iceland and potentially relocate to the Arctic region by the end of the week to begin control flights. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius made the announcement in Brussels ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers, and the German contribution is structured around two Quick Reaction Alert pairs tasked with intercepting and identifying unknown aircraft. The aircraft are specialised for air combat rather than bomb delivery and are capable of supporting identification missions and generating ground imagery to contribute to a military situational picture. Germany is among the first NATO nations to commit assets at this initial stage, and further details of the mission framework are to be coordinated within NATO.
Arctic Sentry is a NATO multi-domain activity launched in February 2026 to coordinate Allied military presence in the Arctic region and the High North by consolidating national activities under a unified operational approach. The activity is led by Joint Force Command Norfolk, with Allied Command Operations responsible for planning and execution across NATO exercises, activities, and operations connected to the mission. The framework is designed to provide NATO planners with full visibility of Allied actions across the region and to align air, maritime, land, and enabling components into a coordinated structure. NATO has maintained a presence in the Arctic since 1949, and seven of the eight Arctic states are NATO members, reinforcing the Alliance’s institutional stake in regional security and stability. The Arctic and the High North are considered strategically significant due to their role as a gateway to the North Atlantic and as key corridors for trade, transport, and communication between North America and Europe.
The launch of Arctic Sentry follows political discussions in Davos between U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte amid tensions linked to Trump’s push for the United States to acquire Greenland and his arguments about Arctic security. The two leaders agreed that NATO should collectively assume greater responsibility for the defence of the region, taking into account Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest in Arctic resources and sea routes. Russia has reinforced its Arctic Command, reopened or expanded former Soviet-era bases, including airfields and deep-water ports, and tested advanced weapons systems, while China has sought access to energy resources, critical minerals, and maritime corridors. Climate change is altering seasonal ice patterns, opening new sea lanes, and modifying the operational environment for armed forces, which affects surveillance, logistics, and sustainment planning. NATO’s objective under Arctic Sentry is to maintain security, stability, and open reinforcement routes across the North Atlantic and the High North.
Operationally, Arctic Sentry aligns existing and planned Allied activities, including Denmark’s Arctic Endurance series of multi-domain exercises and Norway’s Cold Response exercise, under a more integrated command framework. NATO’s rotational air policing mission over Iceland, conducted from Keflavik Air Base since May 2008, provides a basis for fighter deployments, and Germany’s Eurofighters will operate from established facilities there. In December 2025, NATO updated the geographic boundaries used to coordinate military activities, expanding JFC Norfolk’s area of responsibility to include Denmark, Finland, and Sweden in addition to Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The mission structure also includes coordination with Allied Command Transformation and cooperation with NORAD, U.S. Northern Command, and U.S. European Command to ensure regional situational awareness and alignment of activities. Arctic Sentry is intended to unify and scale Allied presence rather than function as a standalone deployment.
Germany indicated that its participation could expand beyond the four fighters depending on NATO coordination and evolving requirements in the coming weeks. Potential additional contributions include maritime long-range reconnaissance aircraft operating over Arctic waters, aerial refuelling support by specialised Luftwaffe tanker aircraft to extend fighter endurance, and A400M transport aircraft to assist partner nations lacking sufficient airlift capacity. The A400M could support personnel movement, equipment transport, and logistical sustainment for participating countries. These enabling capabilities would complement the initial air combat and identification role and contribute to maintaining operational tempo across long distances in cold-weather conditions. The German contribution is therefore structured in phases, beginning with air policing and potentially extending to broader support functions.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a multinational twin-engine, canard delta-wing, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo through Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH, with engine development managed by Eurojet Turbo GmbH for the EJ200 turbofan. The aircraft originated from the Future European Fighter Aircraft programme launched in 1983, building on earlier national efforts and demonstrators such as the British Aerospace EAP, which first flew on August 6, 1986. The first Eurofighter prototype flew on March 27, 1994, and the aircraft entered operational service on August 4, 2003. Production is divided into tranches reflecting funding and capability evolution, and four national final assembly lines produce aircraft while manufacturing common components for partner and export customers.
As of January 2025, 609 production aircraft and seven prototypes had been built, and procurement totals have reached 680 aircraft, including orders from Kuwait and Qatar. On January 29, 2026, the global Typhoon fleet surpassed one million cumulative flight hours, and on February 5, 2026, the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency signed a contract about the Aerodynamic Modification Kit to allow faster integration of new weapons and certification of additional external loads, including future anti-radar missiles intended for suppression and destruction of enemy air defence radars.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is powered by two Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines, each producing about 60 kN of dry thrust and about 90 kN with afterburner, enabling a maximum speed of Mach 2 at altitude and sustained supersonic flight in specific configurations. The aircraft measures about 15.96 metres in length with a wingspan of 10.95 metres and a height of about 5.28 metres, and it has a maximum take-off weight of roughly 23,500 kg with an internal fuel capacity of about 5,000 kg that can be increased through external tanks.
It is fitted with a 27 mm Mauser BK-27 internal cannon and up to 13 external hardpoints for air-to-air missiles such as Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and IRIS-T, as well as precision-guided air-to-surface weapons depending on tranche and national standard. Early aircraft are equipped with the mechanically scanned Captor-M radar, while later standards incorporate AESA radar developments and updated electronic countermeasures. Data links, including MIDS, allow networked operations and target data sharing between aircraft and other assets. Germany is one of the four core partner nations for the Eurofighter program.
Germany originally planned to procure 180 Typhoons, with deliveries beginning in 2004 and the first units assigned to Jagdgeschwader 73 “Steinhoff” at Laage for introduction and pilot training. Additional operational units include Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 at Neuburg an der Donau, Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 “Boelcke” at Nörvenich, and Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 71 “Richthofen” at Wittmund, covering air defence and NATO Quick Reaction Alert duties. In November 2020, Germany approved the acquisition of 38 additional Tranche 4 aircraft to replace older Tranche 1 jets, and in March 2022, it ordered 15 Eurofighter EK electronic warfare conversions for the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum requirement, including AGM-88E AARGM integration with NATO certification targeted by 2030.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
