Langley F-15s head to Iceland
by Airman 1st Class Erik R. Stetson
1st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) -- Four Langley F-15s launched before
dawn Jan. 4 for the darkness of Iceland's arctic winter.  This is the
fourth consecutive year Langley fighters have deployed to Keflavik Naval
Air Station, Iceland, to support their Military Air Defense Zone.

"Defending Iceland is one of our responsibilities as NATO members," said
Col. Irv Halter, 1st Operations Group commander.  "While we only have
about 50 people there, we give the assignment to our more experienced
pilots.  It's not considered a mission for the uninitiated since high
winds and driving snow often crop up unexpectedly."

"There's not much daylight.  Sunrise is about 11:15 a.m. and sunset
about 4 p.m.," said Capt. Malcolm Kemeny, a 94th Fighter Squadron pilot
now deployed there.  "We fly in perpetual dusk, and sometimes the winds
and visibility do change on a dime."

Since weather conditions often keep pilots from flying enough to keep
their training current, commanders swap them out more frequently than
other people, Halter said.  Pilots return to Langley from Iceland every
15 days, and maintainers every 30 days.

Maj. Craig Underhill, 1st Operation Support Squadron detachment
commander, said he was pleased with the deployment and initial
operations.  He reported no problems during travel there. "We are on a
two-hour alert commitment twenty-four hours daily," Kemeny said.  "On
weekdays, we meet the commitment by flying training sorties.  After duty
hours, we have three pilots and some crew chiefs on alert until the
morning."

Kemeny said living conditions are good in Keflavik, and that 1st OSS
members have standard rooms, television and access to telephones and
electronic mail. Pilots and maintainers from Langley will continue to
rotate to Iceland through March.  (Courtesy ACC News Service)