Iceland stands alone among NATO nations in its approach to defence. With no standing army and a tradition of neutrality, the country has relied on a blend of local organisations, strategic alliances, and a strong Coast Guard to ensure its security.
A unique security framework
Today, Iceland’s defence responsibilities largely fall to the Icelandic Coast Guard, which patrols the country’s waters and monitors its airspace. The Coast Guard operates a handful of vessels and aircraft, maintains air defence radar stations, and manages the Iceland Air Defence System, known as Íslenska Loftvarnarkerfið. Other organisations involved in security include specialised units of the National Police and the Crisis Response Unit, a small peacekeeping force established after the turn of the 21st century.
Iceland’s status as NATO’s only member without a standing army has shaped its reliance on alliances. The nation made a defence agreement with the United States, which for decades maintained Naval Air Station Keflavik until US forces withdrew in 2006. Since then, Iceland’s defence infrastructure has been maintained by local institutions, with periodic visits from US and other allied forces. International exercises are regularly hosted in Iceland, including NATO’s annual Northern Viking and Northern Challenge, reflecting the country’s ongoing commitment to collective security.
From chieftains to the Cod Wars
Iceland’s military history stretches back to its early settlement in the 870s. For centuries, local chieftains (goðar) and their followers defended the island, using Nordic military traditions like the leiðangr (expeditionary army). Civil conflict peaked during the Age of the Sturlungs, a period of dynastic strife in the 13th century. Warfare at the time was small-scale, with fewer than a thousand participants in the largest battles.
After centuries of foreign rule, Iceland regained sovereignty in 1918 but lacked resources for an army. Hopes of neutrality proved unrealistic during the Second World War, when British and later US forces occupied the country to secure the North Atlantic. Following the foundation of NATO in 1949, Iceland reinforced the Coast Guard but continued to avoid creating a military.
The Coast Guard played a central role in postwar confrontations with the United Kingdom known as the Cod Wars. These disputes, sparked by Iceland’s successive expansions of its fishing zone, sparked physical clashes at sea but fell short of conventional warfare. While a few rounds were exchanged and ships collided, the confrontations were ultimately resolved through diplomacy.
In legal terms, Iceland has never declared war nor taken part in a full-scale conflict. The country’s constitution does not even provide a way to declare war, reflecting a deep commitment to peaceful engagement and collective security arrangements.
