Northern Viking: Allied Forces to Exercise the Defense of Iceland and Sea Routes in the North Atlantic

Det amerikanske landgangsskipet USS Arlington og en lettbåt i den islandske kystvakten under Northern Viking 2022

The US amphibious assault ship USS Arlington and an Icelandic Coast Guard inflatable boat during Northern Viking 2022.

John Bel/US Navy

The US-led military exercise Northern Viking begins on and around Iceland on Saturday. In addition to the leading and host countries, forces from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, Germany, France and Belgium will participate.

Astri Edvardsen Astri Edvardsen Journalist

Published 18 August 2026 - 15:50 Modified 18 August 2026 - 16:02

The defense exercise Northern Viking takes place in and around Iceland from 22 August to 3 September.

The exercise is led by the United States Sixth Fleet and is held every other year on the basis of the 1951 bilateral defence agreement between Iceland and the US.

"The main objective is to practise the defence of Iceland, including the protection of critical infrastructure, sea routes around Iceland, search and rescue, host nation support, and coordination between the Icelandic government and US and NATO military commands," writes the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for the country's security and defence policy.

Military forces from the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, Germany, France and Belgium will participate at sea, in the air and on land. On the Icelandic side, the exercise activity involves around 150–200 people from the Coast Guard and other emergency response actors.

According to the ministry, the exercise will be divided into two parts: on the one hand, it will practise the United States' response to an emerging threat to Iceland, based on the bilateral defence agreement; on the other, it will practise NATO's response following Iceland's activation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

Amerikanske og britiske marinesoldater under en operasjon nær Keflavík flystasjon som del av Northern Viking 2022. — US and British marines during an operation near Keflavík Air Base as part of Northern Viking 2022.

SACEUR visits Iceland

In connection with Northern Viking, General Alexus Grynkewich, Commander of the US European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), is visiting Iceland this week.

On Monday, he met with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir and Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir. The agenda included the current security situation and NATO's increased preparedness, as well as developments in the Arctic and defence cooperation between Iceland and the US.

"We are facing a new security landscape, and Iceland has worked purposefully to strengthen its own defence and resilience. It was important to have a good discussion with Grynkewich about these issues, and about how we can further strengthen our participation in NATO and our cooperation with the US, especially now that European countries and Canada are increasing their contributions," Gunnarsdóttir says in a press release.

General Alexus Grynkewich, SACEUR og sjef for USAs europeiske kommando, sammen med Islands statsminister Kristrún Frostadóttir. — General Alexus Grynkewich, Commander, US European Command and SACEUR, with Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir.

This spring, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a full review of US forces and bases in Europe. Against this backdrop, Grynkewich made the following comment to the Icelandic newspaper RÚV:

"I think it is clear that the United States is interested in continuing to operate from here in defence of North America and in defence of the Alliance. There are various things that need to be considered in the short term, but in the longer term we really need to focus on the Arctic and security there. That will become increasingly important for all of us over the coming decades."