Danish F-35 fighter aircraft have landed in Keflavik, Iceland, to participate in the NATO exercise Arctic Sentry alongside Swedish JAS 39 Gripen and German Eurofighter. This marks Denmark's first contribution to Arctic Sentry, which commenced on 13 February 2026. The exercise aims to strengthen the alliance's presence, surveillance, and deterrence in the Arctic and North Atlantic, according to a press release from the Danish Defence.
– When we train together with our NATO allies, we enhance our collective combat power and become even better at protecting our shared area of responsibility. With Arctic Sentry, we strengthen NATO's deterrence capability in the Arctic and North Atlantic. The exercise in Iceland, where the Danish and Swedish air forces train together, is a strong example of this, says Denmark's Chief of Defence, Michael W. Hyldgaard.
It has previously been confirmed that Sweden is participating with JAS 39 Gripen in the area around Iceland and Greenland, and now they are joined by both Denmark and Germany. Both Danish and Swedish defence leadership emphasize that joint training strengthens operational capability and contributes to collective defence, especially in Arctic environments.
– The security situation makes it particularly important to exercise together and contribute to the collective defence of NATO's operational areas, including the Arctic. Together, we contribute with operational capacity and Arctic expertise, says the Chief of the Swedish Air Force, Major General Jonas Wikman.
Arctic Sentry brings together several already planned activities, including Arctic Endurance, under a common framework to enable a more permanently enhanced NATO presence in the region.