Ready Forces Poise for Action as Exercise Northern Viking 2024 Takes Iceland by Storm

Participating at NV24 are Denmark, France, Iceland, Norway, Poland, and the United States, alongside components of Standing NATO Maritime Group One and Allied Maritime Command.

From Aug. 26 to Sept. 3, Northern Viking 24 (NV24) will boost interoperability among NATO Allies through various scenarios. These include humanitarian crisis response triggered by a simulated volcanic eruption, safety and sustainment operations, expeditionary and construction capabilities, medical responses, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance.

“We are here to demonstrate the United States’ unwavering commitment to Iceland and the security and stability of the North Atlantic,” said United States Rear Adm. Patrick Hayden, Director, Logistics, Ordnance & Engineering for U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, U.S. 6th Fleet. “By exercising interoperability through air, land, and sea integration, Iceland, the United States, and our Allied nations are better positioned to collectively defend against any threats from potential adversaries.”

The U.S., Iceland, and Allied nations are better prepared to execute multi-domain command and control of joint and coalition forces in the defense of Iceland and the critical shipping hub in the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom (GIUK) gap. This area is essential for trade between North America and Europe.

Northern Viking has been a biannual exercise since 1982, based on the 1951 Defense Agreement between Iceland and the United States.

Directed by U.S. European Command and led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe, NV24 is a U.S. Sixth Fleet planned and executed Joint and Coalition live exercise. The U.S. Sixth Fleet, based in Naples, Italy, conducts a broad range of joint and naval operations, often with Allies, to enhance security and stability in Europe and Africa.