The American nuclear submarine USS Newport News, armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, docked for the first time in Iceland due to growing concerns in Washington and NATO about Russia's increased military activity in the Arctic and the Far North, Business Insider reports, Fokus reports.
The commander of the US Navy in Europe and Africa, Admiral Stuart Mansh, said that the entry of the attack submarine into the Icelandic port sends a strategic signal to adversaries about the presence of the United States in the region, as well as support for American allies.
Washington views Iceland, a founding member of NATO since 1949, as a key element in its Arctic strategy because of its strategic location. During the Cold War, Western troops, including American forces, were stationed there.