British F-35B jets to police Nato skies for the first time as they arrive in Iceland
Royal Air Force F-35Bs have started arriving in Iceland to take part in their maiden Nato air policing mission.
Pilots from 617 Squadron will be tasked with defending the alliance's airspace in the Arctic region.
The fifth-generation stealth fighters have not previously taken on a policing role.
This latest RAF policing mission comes as the Prime Minister underlined the UK's commitment to Nato at its summit in Washington last month.
Sir Keir Starmer emphasised his determination to safeguard the future of the alliance and face down global threats to the UK and its Western allies.
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard commended the UK's "unshakeable" commitment to Nato.
"With threats increasing and growing Russian aggression, it is vital that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies," he said.
"This latest air policing mission in Iceland displays the UK's ability to operate and deter our adversaries across the alliance's airspace."
Last month saw the RAF conclude its four-month air policing deployment in Romania, without needing to conduct any live scrambles, a notable shift from previous years.
Six Typhoons and more than 200 personnel were part of the mission stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, defending Nato's eastern border.
Following the successful mission in Romania, the RAF will now be operating four cutting-edge F-35B jets out of Iceland.
The aircraft will be patrolling Icelandic airspace, having travelled from RAF Marham in Norfolk.
This is the first time British jets have taken part in such activity in Iceland since 2019 when four Typhoons flew 59 training sorties and more than 180 practice intercepts.
The F-35B Lightning is held at high readiness to deploy in support of UK and Nato operations worldwide, from both land and sea.
It is a multi-role combat aircraft equipped with advanced sensors, mission systems and low-observable stealth technology, meaning that enemy radar systems cannot easily detect the aircraft.
The Lightning Force Commander, Group Captain John Butcher, said: "This will be the first time that the Lightning Force has deployed to contribute to Nato air policing, and will no doubt once again prove the flexibility that this platform offers as it demonstrates its capability to operate from both a land and maritime environment."
Nato air policing is a permanent peacetime mission, which aims to protect Allied skies.
It is a collective task that involves the continuous presence of fighter aircraft and crews, which are ready to react quickly to possible airspace violations.
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