Army Services in Iceland

It may surprise you to learn that Iceland has no army in the true sense of the word. The sea borders are secured by the Icelandic Coast Guard and there are naval aircraft that secure the skies. However, this does not mean that the country is defenceless. Iceland is a member of NATO and this association entitles the country to be defended in the event of a threat. Iceland is a peace-loving nation and has few enemies. This agreement is therefore advantageous for the Nordic state. The National Security and Special Forces are responsible for combating other criminal activities in the country. These form the military services in Iceland.

What if You Want to be a Part of an Armed Service?

The average Icelander prefers to stay away from the armed forces, as the protests on the streets of Iceland in the past against the country's admission to NATO have shown. As part of this agreement, the country had allowed the USA to establish a base in Iceland. This was also rejected by the Icelandic public or at least part of the population. Nevertheless, there are young Icelanders who dream of joining the Icelandic armed forces.

They can apply to one of these services and complete the vocational training programme. If there are vacancies, you will be taken on and become part of the armed forces defending Iceland. There is a clear national security policy for Iceland, which has been adopted by the country’s parliament. The policy commits the nation to protect its borders by creating the necessary defence structures and having the necessary defence equipment. Iceland has enormous natural wealth that needs to be protected and its security is vital for the country's future.

No Elaborate Defense Structures – Army services in Iceland

In most countries in the world there is a separate Ministry of Defence and the three wings, the army, the navy and the air force. Iceland has none of this. The armed forces in Iceland are limited to the forces mentioned above, the Icelandic Coast Guard and the National Security and Special Forces. With a population of less than half a million, the country's rulers believe that these forces are sufficient to secure the country and maintain peace and order in the country.

Security Policy Addresses the Current Scenario

In all this however, the National Security Policy has not overlooked some of the latest threats countries are facing. Europe has been faced with the threat of terrorism and some countries are revisiting the liberal policies they had followed so far. The threat is real and every country in the region has to safeguard its interests.

The other serious threat is cyber security. With the rapid expansion of technology and almost all critical transactions being carried out over the internet, protecting the computer systems from being exposed to cyberattacks is also important. Iceland is strengthening this area and there are special units that have been tasked with this responsibility.

It has become the norm these days that the army services in Iceland must include virtual threats of this nature as well. It cannot be separated from the larger objective of defending the country.

In cases where Iceland does not have adequate facilities to train defence personnel at various levels, cooperation is sought with the Norwegian army and personnel from the Icelandic armed forces are sent to Norway to give combat training.

On a broader level, it is interesting to know that a nation can manage without a fully-fledged army.

If you require any assistance in Iceland, contact Swapp Agency.