Icelandic Coast Guard

Its origins can be traced to 1859, when the corvette Ørnen started patrolling Icelandic waters. In 1906, Iceland's first purposely built guard-ship, Islands Falk, began operation. Iceland's own defense of its territorial waters began around 1920 and the Icelandic Coast Guard was formally founded on 1 July 1926.{{cite web|url=http://www.lhg.is/media/LHG80/Landhelgisgasla_Islands_enska2_.pdf|title=The Icelandic Coast Guard "Always Prepared" |access-date=18 May 2020}} The first cannon was put on the trawler Þór in 1924 and on 23 June 1926 the first ship built for the Coast Guard, named Óðinn, arrived in Iceland. Three years later, on 14 July 1929 the coastal defence ship Ægir was added to the Coast Guard fleet.{{cite news |title=Strandvarnaskipið "Ægir" |url=https://timarit.is/page/5232826 |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=Ársrit Vélstjórafélags Íslands |date=1929 |pages=86–89 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}

The Icelandic Coast Guard played its largest role during the fishing rights dispute known as the Cod Wars, between 1972 and 1976, when the Coast Guard ships would cut the trawl wires of British and West German trawlers, resulting in confrontations with Royal Navy warships and tugs from the British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). The Icelandic Coast Guard goal was to enforce a disputed expansion of Iceland's exclusive economic zone. Engagements between Icelandic gunboats and British warships involving ramming became the tactic of choice during this conflict.{{Cite book|last=Evans|first=Andrew|url=https://archive.org/details/iceland0000evan/page/25|title=Iceland: The Bradt Travel Guide|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|year=2008|isbn=9781841622156|page=25}} At least 15 British frigates, five Icelandic patrol boats and one British supply ship were damaged by ramming between 1975 and 1976.{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Robert|date=2009|title=Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|page=119|isbn=978-1848320437}} In the end, Iceland achieved its overall ambition of expanding its exclusive fishery zone to {{Convert|200|nmi|km|lk=in}} by June 1976.{{Cite journal|last=Bakaki|first=Zorzeta|date=2016-01-01|title=Deconstructing Mediation: A Case Study of the Cod Wars|journal=Negotiation Journal|language=en|volume=32|issue=1|pages=63–78|doi=10.1111/nejo.12147|issn=1571-9979}}

File:10 Arrival of Thor - Icelandic Coast Guard 2011-10-27 Reykjavik.jpg, former President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, and former Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson (2011)]]

The Icelandic Coast Guard's (ICG) primary mission as stipulated in Section 1 of Act on Icelandic Coast Guard is conduct search and rescue, maritime safety and security surveillance, and law enforcement inside the {{convert|200|nmi|adj=on}}-wide economic zone. The Coast Guard operates Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre (JRCC) Iceland which is responsible for search and rescue of vessels and aircraft in Iceland's search and rescue region (SRR) according to International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual.{{cite web|url=https://www.lhg.is/english/jrcc-iceland/nr/1829|title=RCC Iceland- Rescue Centre for mariners and {{sic|aircrafts|nolink=yes}}|access-date=2021-11-26|website=Icelandic Coast Guard}} Additionally the ICG is in the charge of defusing naval mines, most of which were laid during the Second World War,{{cite web|url=https://grapevine.is/news/2020/06/05/coast-guard-unearths-world-war-2-era-explosive/|access-date=2021-11-26|date=2020-06-05|title=Coast Guard Unearths World War 2 Era Explosive|first=Sam|last=O'Donnell|work=The Reykjavík Grapevine}} and monitoring fisheries in international waters outside of the Icelandic economic zone in order to blacklist any vessel partaking in unregulated fishing and thus bar them from receiving services from any member of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission{{cite web|url=http://www.neafc.org/ |website=neafc.org |title=North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission {{!}} Managing Fisheries in the North-East Atlantic |access-date=14 December 2014}} in order to make unregulated fishing unprofitable. The Icelandic Coast Guard also occasionally operates within Greenlandic and Faeroese waters, following a bilateral agreement with Denmark regarding mutual aid in security, rescue and defence matters.

The Coast Guard accomplishes these tasks with the use of offshore patrol vessels (OPV), helicopters, surveillance aircraft, satellites and a network of land based surface scanning radar.

The Icelandic Coast Guard is also in charge of the Iceland Air Defence System, which operates four ground-based AN-FPS(V)5 air surveillance radars and a control and command centre.

In the 1990s the Coast Guard started hosting exercises such as "Northern Challenge" which had military units from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom, among others, participating along with the Icelandic Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has also taken part in peacekeeping operations on behalf of the Icelandic Crisis Response Unit, although while usually using their own rank insignia, uniforms and weapons.

The fleet also takes part in Frontex operations, and in that role {{ship|ICGV|Týr}} played a major part in the rescue of over 300 Syrian refugees in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in January 2015.USA Today-Arizona RepublicJan 4, 2015, Section B page2

{{As of|2022}}, the Icelandic Coast Guard fleet consists of two OPVs, one coastal hydrographic and patrol vessel and an independent fast rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), as well as numerous smaller boats assigned to the larger units. In 2011 the Coast Guard received ICGV Þór, built by the Asmar shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile.{{cite web|url=http://www.lhg.is/frettirogutgafa/frettir/nr/2079|title=Til hamingju með daginn! Þór kominn til Íslands|access-date=14 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lhg.is/starfsemi/adgerdasvid/nyttvardskipthor/|title=Nýtt varðskip Þór|access-date=14 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307201720/http://www.lhg.is/starfsemi/adgerdasvid/nyttvardskipthor/|archive-date=7 March 2012|url-status=dead}}

ICGV Týr, an {{sclass|Ægir|offshore patrol vessel|2}}, the second youngest, built by Århus Flydedok a/s and launched in 1975. {{ship|ICGV|Ægir}}, lead ship of the Ægir class, is ICGV Týr{{'}}s sister ship, built by Ålborg Værft a/s and launched in 1968. Each ship is equipped with two or more RHIBs of various sizes and armed with a 40 mm Bofors cannon. Various kinds of small arms as well as other man-portable weapons are also carried on board each of the ships. Týr and Þór are also equipped with sonar systems and the Ægir-class vessels have flight decks and a hangar for a small helicopter. While the Coast Guard does not operate small enough helicopters to use the hangars, the flight decks are often used by the helicopters of the Aeronautical Division on various missions.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The coastguard has a 73-ton patrol and hydrographic survey vessel, named Baldur, built by Vélsmiðja Seyðisfjarðar shipyard in 1991. This vessel has no mounted weaponry, but it has nonetheless been used for port security and fishery inspection.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The newest ship of the fleet, {{ship|ICGV|Freyja}}, was bought in September 2021{{cite news |title=Varðskipið Freyja verður gert út frá Siglufirði |url=https://www.lhg.is/frettir-og-fjolmidlar/frettasafn/frettayfirlit/vardskipid-freyja-verdur-gert-ut-fra-siglufirdi |access-date=29 October 2021 |work=Icelandic Coast Guard |date=21 September 2021 |language=Icelandic}}{{cite news |author1=Samúel Karl Ólason |title=Gera Freyju út frá Siglufirði |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20212159182d/gera-freyju-ut-fra-siglufirdi |access-date=29 October 2021 |work=Vísir.is |date=21 September 2021 |language=Icelandic}} to replace the 46-year old ICGV Týr.{{cite news |author1=Kristín Sigurðardóttir |title=Nýtt varðskip verði fyrst til að bera nafn ásynju |url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/2021/03/05/nytt-vardskip-verdi-fyrst-til-ad-bera-nafn-asynju |access-date=29 October 2021 |work=RÚV |date=5 March 2021 |language=Icelandic}} It arrived for retrofit at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam in Schiedam on 11 October and was formally delivered to the Coast Guard on 1 November 2021. She departed for Siglufjordur on 2 November.{{cite news |author1=Samúel Karl Ólason |title=Undirbúa heimsiglinguna frá Rotterdam |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20212176279d/undir-bua-heim-siglinguna-fra-rotter-dam |access-date=30 October 2021 |work=Vísir.is |date=30 October 2021 |language=Icelandic}}

After World War II, the Coast Guard occasionally leased civilian aircraft for short term monitoring of shipping and fishing in the territorial waters, first in 1948 when a Grumman Goose was leased from Loftleiðir.{{cite news |title=Sex togbátar teknir í landhelgi |url=https://timarit.is/page/1267142 |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=Morgunblaðið |date=2 April 1948 |page=12 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}{{cite book |author1=Guðjón Arngrímsson |author2=Helgi Hallvarðsson |author3=Stefán Melsted |author4=María Sólbergsdóttir |title=Landhelgisgæsla Íslands 1926-1996 : svipmyndir úr 70 ára sögu |date=1996 |publisher=Landhelgisgæsla Íslands |location=Reykjavík |isbn=9979602775 |language=Icelandic}} On 10 December 1955, the Coast Guard acquired its first aircraft when a Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina flying boat was acquired from the Civil Aviation Administration. It was originally from the Iceland Defense Force but was damaged near Langanes in 1954. It was named Rán and registered as TF-RAN.{{cite news|title=Catalina|url=http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?issId=304742&pageId=4627266|accessdate=5 May 2021|work=Æskan|date=1 February 1972|language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}{{cite news |title=Togveiðiskip óttast gæzluflugvélina og sækja minna í landhelgi en áður |url=https://timarit.is/page/1029274 |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=Tíminn |date=26 March 1957 |pages=1–2 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}

In 1972, the ICG, along with the National Life-saving Association of Iceland, bought its first specialized search and rescue helicopter, a Sikorsky S-62 that was named Gná, from the United States Coast Guard.{{cite news |title=Gunnar, Nikulás, Alfreð |url=https://timarit.is/page/3720347 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=Tíminn |date=26 August 1972 |pages=1, 15 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}{{cite news |title=Nýr liðsstyrkur gæzlunnar gæti líka komið Bretum í góðar þarfir |url=https://timarit.is/page/3202966 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=Alþýðublaðið |date=29 August 1972 |pages=6–7 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}} Three years later, Gná crashed in Skálafell, with no injuries, after a shaft in the tail propeller broke.{{cite news |title=Þakka reynslu flugmannsins og snarræði að við erum hér til frásagnar |url=https://timarit.is/page/1467290 |access-date=3 July 2022 |work=Morgunblaðið |date=4 October 1975 |pages=24, 3 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}{{cite news |title=Sikorsky entist í 3 ár |url=https://timarit.is/page/3485972 |access-date=5 May 2021 |work=Vísir |date=19 November 1980 |page=15 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}

It took five years for another SAR helicopter to arrive but in 1980, the Coast Guard bought a new Sikorsky S-76 which was given the name Rán. The helicopter performed admirably, including in March 1983, when Rán, along with a French Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma, one of two temporarily deployed in the country,{{cite news |title=Tvær franskar þyrlur lánaðar til Íslands í einn mánuð |url=https://timarit.is/page/1570069 |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=Morgunblaðið |date=20 February 1983 |page=20 |language=Icelandic}} rescued 11 people from Hafrún ÍS-400 after it ran aground at Stigahlíð in the Westfjords.{{cite news |author1=Ragnar Axelsson |title=Hvað er glóðarauga á milli vina |url=https://timarit.is/page/5297535 |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=SunnudagsMogginn |publisher=Morgunblaðið |date=14 February 2010 |pages=28–29 |language=Icelandic}} However, in November 1983, Rán crashed in Jökulfirðir in the Westfjords of Iceland during a training mission, killing its four man crew,{{cite news|title=Minnast áhafnar þyrlunnar TF-RAN sem fórst fyrir þrjátíu árum|url=http://www.lhg.is/frettir-og-fjolmidlar/frettasafn/frettayfirlit/nr/2670|accessdate=23 March 2021|work=Landhelgisgæsla Íslands|date=8 November 2013|language=Icelandic}} in what remains the deadliest accident in the ICG history. The loss of Rán and some of the Coast Guard's most experienced flight members nearly caused the shutdown of its helicopter program.{{cite news |author1=Sæmundur Guðvinsson |title=Minnistæðustu flugferðirnar eru þær sem aldrei voru farnar |url=https://timarit.is/page/4252713 |access-date=24 June 2022 |work=Sjómannablaðið Víkingur |date=1 June 1997 |pages=26–33 |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}} After some deliberation, the decision was made in 1984 to continue the program and buy a new Aérospatiale SA 365N Dauphin II and rent another until the new one would arrive.{{cite news |author1=Gunnar Þorsteinsson |title=Sif - Kona þrumuguðsins |url=https://timarit.is/page/1609896 |access-date=20 June 2022 |work=Morgunblaðið |date=14 April 1985 |pages=18B–19B |language=Icelandic |via=Tímarit.is}} {{open access}}

In 1985, the new Sif arrived and with it, several changes were made to the helicopter program, including to training, expanding crew rosters, addition of helicopter doctors and shift plans to expand its availability. Sif went on to become one of the ICG most successful aircraft to date. During its 22-year career it took part in several high profile rescue operations around Iceland{{cite news |author1=Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson |title=Fyllist lotningu við hvininn frá þyrlunni |url=https://timarit.is/page/5910781 |access-date=21 March 2021 |work=Dagblaðið Vísir |date=20 July 2007 |pages=1, 11–17 |language=Icelandic}} and is credited to have been involved in the rescue of around 250 lives.{{cite web |title=TF-SIF Aerospatiale SA.365N Dauphin 2 |url=https://www.flugsafn.is/is/safngripir/01-aerospatiale-sa365 |website=flugsafn.is |publisher=Icelandic Aviation Museum |access-date=21 March 2021 |language=Icelandic}}

In 1995, the ICG received a second specialised SAR helicopter when it bought an Aérospatiale AS-332L1 Super Puma which was given the name Líf. The new helicopter continued on the success of Sif and gained national fame when it rescued 39 sailors in three separate incidents during a six-day period in March 1997.{{cite news |title=Frækileg björgun á reginhafi |url=https://timarit.is/page/6785534 |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Morgunblaðið |date=29 September 2016 |page=34 |language=Icelandic}}

As a response to the withdrawal of the Iceland Defense Force in 2006, the Coast Guard expanded its helicopters to four in 2007. That number was later reduced to three and as of 2022, it operates three Airbus Helicopters H225 helicopters named Gná, Gróa and Eir.{{cite web|url=https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2021/05/06/icelandic_coast_guard_receives_third_helicopter/|work=Iceland Monitor |date=6 May 2021|title=Icelandic Coast Guard Receives Third Helicopter|author=Vala Hafstað}}

The Coast Guard also operates a single Bombardier DHC-8-Q314, registered as TF-SIF, modified for maritime surveillance and reconnaissance. This plane has been extensively modified by FIELD to carry a modern Mission Management System and suite of surveillance sensors, air operable door and communications/navigation equipment.{{cite web|url=http://fieldav.com/news-events/icelandic-coast-guard-to-the-rescue-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/|title=Icelandic Coast Guard to the Rescue in the Gulf of Mexico|date=2010-07-15|access-date=2021-11-26|publisher=Field Aviation}} It is occasionally also used for surveillance of volcanic eruptions, such as the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull.

All major vehicles of the Icelandic Coast Guard are named after beings from Norse mythology.

File:2 Arrival of Thor - Icelandic Coast Guard 2011-10-27 Reykjavik.jpg patrol boat]]

In addition the Coast Guard has rented or borrowed a number of civilian vessels and aircraft for shorter periods, which are not listed.

{{main|List of aircraft of the Icelandic Coast Guard}}

File:Landhelgisgaeslan Helicopter Iceland (cropped).jpg during Search and rescue demonstration]]

Previous notable aircraft operated consisted of the Consolidated PBY Catalina, Douglas C-54, Fokker F27, Bell 47J/G, MD 500C, Sikorsky S-62, Sikorsky S-76, Eurocopter AS365, Eurocopter AS350.{{cite web|url=https://www.lhg.is/um-okkur/sagan/flugdeildin |title=The Coast Guard is in flight |publisher= www.lhg.is |date=|accessdate=26 May 2022}} Three former aircraft of the Icelandic Coast Guard can be viewed and boarded at the Icelandic Aviation Museum in Akureyri, the helicopters TF-SIF and TF-LÍF, and the Fokker F-27 TF-SYN.{{cite web |title=TF-SYN Fokker F-27-200 Friendship |url=https://www.flugsafn.is/is/safngripir/tf-syn |publisher=Icelandic Aviation Museum |access-date=5 May 2021 |language=Icelandic}}

{{Location map+ | Iceland | relief = 1 | float=right | width=360| places=

{{Location map~ | Iceland | background = white |label=Keflavik|lat= 63.985 |long= -22.605556 |position=left|mark=Lightgreen pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ | Iceland | background = white |label=Miðnesheiði|lat= 63.985 |long= -22.45 |position=right|mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ | Iceland | background = white |label=Gunnólfsvík|lat= 66.138056 |long= -15.105 |position=right|mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ | Iceland | background = white |label=Stokksnes|lat= 64.243 |long= -14.96 |position=right|mark=Orange pog.svg}}

{{Location map~ | Iceland | background = white |label=Bolafjalli|lat= 66.15 |long= -23.25 |position=right|mark=Orange pog.svg}}

|caption=Iceland Air Defense System radar stations
10px Radar station with AN/FPS-117(V)5
10px Control and Reporting Centre}}

The Iceland Air Defense System monitors Iceland's airspace. Air Defense is provided by fighter jets from NATO allies, which rotate units for the Icelandic Air Policing mission to Keflavik Air Base.

The Iceland Air Defense System's Control and Reporting Centre is at Keflavik Air Base and reports to NATO's Integrated Air Defense System CAOC Uedem in Germany.

• Iceland Air Defense System, at Keflavik Air Base{{cite web|title=Iceland Air Defense System|url=http://www.lhg.is/varnarmal/loftrymisleit-og-islenska-loftvarnarkerfid|publisher=Icelandic Coast Guard|access-date=25 May 2018|language=is}}
• Control and Reporting Centre, at Keflavik Air Base
• H1 Radar Station, at Miðnesheiði, with AN/FPS-117(V)5
• H2 Radar Station, on Mount Gunnolfsvík, with AN/FPS-117(V)5
• H3 Radar Station, at Stokksnes, with AN/FPS-117(V)5
• H4 Radar Station, on Bolafjall, with AN/FPS-117(V)5

The Icelandic Coast Guard possesses over 200 firearms, with more than half of them in storage.{{cite web|url=http://visir.is/landhelgisgaeslan-a-212-vopn/article/2015150129244|title=Landhelgisgæslan á 212 vopn - Vísir}}{{cite web|url=http://www.althingi.is/altext/144/s/0869.html|title=869/144 svar: vopnaöflun og vopnaeign Landhelgisgæslunnar|website=Alþingi}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dv.is/frettir/2017/12/4/fallbyssur-saebraut-sidast-beitt-i-thorskastridunum-attunda-aratugnum/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102054213/http://www.dv.is/frettir/2017/12/4/fallbyssur-saebraut-sidast-beitt-i-thorskastridunum-attunda-aratugnum/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-01-02|title=Fallbyssur á Sæbraut: Vegfarendur ráku upp stór augu - DV}} In 2014, the Coast Guard received 250 Heckler & Koch MP5 from the Norwegian Armed Forces.{{cite news |author1=Ægir Þór Eysteinsson |title=LHG keypti 250 vélbyssur af norska hernum fyrir 11,5 milljónir |url=https://kjarninn.is/frettir/lhg-keypti-250-velbyssur-af-norska-hernum-fyrir-115-milljonir/ |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=Kjarninn |date=23 October 2014 |language=Icelandic}} The acquisition of the weapons caused an uproar in Iceland due to several facts, including that the mostly unarmed Icelandic Police was to receive 150 of them and conflicting statements from Icelandic and Norwegian officials on whether they were a gift or bought.{{cite news |author1=Arnar Páll Hauksson |title=Byssurnar með farþegaflugvél til Noregs |url=https://www.ruv.is/frett/byssurnar-med-farthegaflugvel-til-noregs |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=RÚV |date=24 June 2015 |language=Icelandic}}

In June 2015, the weapons were returned to Norway.{{cite news |author1=Hjálmar Friðriksson |title=Vopnin kvödd: Hríðskotabyssur Gæslunnar koma til Noregs í dag |url=https://stundin.is/frett/vopnin-kvodd-hridskotabyssur-landhelgisgaeslunnar-/ |access-date=11 June 2022 |work=Stundin |date=24 June 2015 |language=Icelandic}}

• Military of Iceland
• Iceland Defense Force (United States Armed Forces in Iceland)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Coast guard of Iceland}}

• [http://www.lhg.is/english Official Site in English]
• [http://www.lhg.is Landhelgisgæsla Íslands] in Icelandic.
• [http://www.althingi.is/altext/132/s/1520.html Coast Guard laws] in Icelandic.
• [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/ops/gov/icelandic-coast-guard.htm Info on Icelandic Coast Guard]
• [https://archive.today/20130201063458/http://www.randburg.com/is/general/general_15.html Randburg discussion on Icelandic Coast Guard]
• [http://www.kaldi.is/lhg-2008-.htm Ranks of the Icelandic Coast Guard]

{{European Border and Coast Guard}}

{{Law enforcement in Iceland}}

{{Allied Maritime Command}}

{{Coast guards}}

{{Navies in Europe}}

{{Air forces in Europe}}

{{Military ranks by country}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1926 establishments in Iceland

Category:Military history of Iceland

Category:Transport in Iceland

Coast Guard

Category:Coast guards

Category:National hydrographic offices