Bolafjall Radar Station Explained

Bolafjall Radar Station
Pushpin Map:Iceland
Pushpin Label:Bolafjall
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Bolafjall Radar Station
Type:Radar Station
Ownership:NATO
Operator:Iceland Air Defence System
Condition:Operational
Built:1985–1992
Used:1992–present

Bolafjall Radar Station (NATO ID: H-4) is an Icelandic General Surveillance Radar station and part of the Iceland Air Defence System. It is located atop on Bolafjall near the town of Bolungarvik. It is operated by the Icelandic Coast Guard under the joint direction of NATO as part of the Icelandic Air Policing.[1]

History

The station was established as a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) radar station in January 1992, with its construction cost paid by the NATO Infrastructure Fund.[2] While the United States Air Force paid for its operational expenses,[3] it was operated by the Radar Agency (Icelandic: Ratsjárstofnun) with civilian staff.[4] The mission of the station was to intercept and shadow all Soviet aircraft in transit in and from the GIUK gap which passed through the detection range of its radars and relay to the NAS Keflavik Radar Operations Control Center (ROCC).

In 2006, the United States withdrew its military units from Iceland, leaving the radar station fully in Icelandic hands.[5] In 2008, the Radar Agency was closed and its mission moved to the newly founded Icelandic Defence Agency (Varnarmálastofnun Íslands).[6] [7] Following the closure of the Icelandic Defence Agency, the operations where moved to the Icelandic Coast Guard.[1]

See also

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Íslenska loftvarnakerfið. 2022-01-11. Landhelgisgæsla Íslands. is . Tímarit.is.
  2. Web site: Radar Stations . iads.is . The Radar Agency . 27 July 2022 . http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20080724142258/http://www.iads.is/web/English/IcelandAirdefenceSystem/RadarStations.html . 24 July 2008.
  3. Web site: Saga varnarmála . lhg.is . . 27 July 2022 . Icelandic.
  4. News: Rekstur ratsjárstöðvarinnar hafinn . 27 July 2022 . Bæjarins besta . 12 February 1992 . 10 . Icelandic.
  5. News: Bandaríski herinn kveður í dag . 27 July 2022 . . 30 September 2006 . Icelandic.
  6. News: Einar Örn Gíslason . Ekki vitað hvað tekur við eftir áramótin . 27 July 2022 . . 10 December 2010 . Icelandic.
  7. Web site: Loftrými . vmsi.is . Icelandic Defence Agency . http://wayback.vefsafn.is/wayback/20090814184249/http://www.vmsi.is/verkefni/loftrymi/nr/7 . 14 August 2009 . Icelandic.