Icelandic Coast Guard

Icelandic Coast Guard
*Landhelgisgæsla Íslands*
Icelandic Coast Guard; Landhelgisgæsla Íslands
	Icelandic Coast Guard insignia
	Racing stripe
	Ensign and roundel
Common name	Gæslan (The Guard)
Abbreviation	LHG
Motto	Við erum til taks; Always Prepared
Agency overview
Formed	1 July 1926
Employees	280 officers and enlisted
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Iceland
Constituting instrument	Icelandic Coast Guard Act;
Specialist jurisdiction	Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue;
Operational structure
Agency executives	RADM Georg Kr. Lárusson, General Director; CDRE Ásgrímur L. Ásgrímsson, Chief of Operations; CAPT Auðunn F Kristinsson, Chief of Maritime Division; CDR sg Bjarni Á. Sigurðsson, Chief of Aeronautical Division; CAPT Jón B Guðnason, Chief of Defence Division;
Facilities
Boats	2 x Patrol vessels; 2 x Patrol/survey boat
Patrol aircraft	1 Bombardier DHC-8-Q314
Transport aircraft	3 Airbus H225s
Notables
Significant operation	Cod Wars;
Website
	lhg.is

The Icelandic Coast Guard (Icelandic: Landhelgisgæsla Íslands, Landhelgisgæslan or simply Gæslan) is the Icelandic defence service responsible for search and rescue, maritime safety and security surveillance, national defense, and law enforcement. The nautical division is based at the port of Reykjavík, as well as a smaller base at Siglufjörður. Its aeronautical division is based at Reykjavík Airport.

The Coast Guard is also responsible for the NATO area at Keflavík Airport and the Iceland Air Defence System, which conducts ground-based surveillance of Iceland's air space. It is also conducts hydrographic surveys and nautical charting.