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"During its lifetime, the Keflavik operations included submarine patrols using P-3 Orion sub hunters until 2004. Army National Guard and Marine units used nearby lava fields for training exercises. U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters used its facilities. It had helicopters and four F-15s until its disestablishment. At its height, the naval air station had almost 5,000 American military people, civilian contractors and family members. Just over 100 officers and sailors remained when it was disestablished. U.S. officials at the naval station said contracts of around 600 Icelandic employees of the base in March would be honored through this month."

Don't forget the E3 AWACS. I spent many a tour up there. Sorry to see us leave.

One potential scenario that was run over and over during the cold war was a Soviet blitzkrieg through Scandanavia and shutting off the northern sea lanes before NATO could react. Once the trans atlantic sea lanes are shut down there is no direct resupply to Europe.

We should at the least have a task force specifically trained to reestablish operations from Iceland within 72 hours. The airbases there are vital in a transatlantic conflict.