|
Tiger Meet at Schleswig Jagel 2014
Rolph Klijn of Karo-Aviation
reports on the Tiger meet 2014
Pictures by the
author
From the 16th to the 27th of June the 53th Tiger Meet was held. This
time at the north German airbase at schleswig Jagel. On Monday the 23th
the base opened its gates for us.
In times when defense budgets are tight, it signifies the importance of
the exercise when 11 countries participate with 70 aircraft.
The importance of the annual Tiger Meet is that it gives the
participants the opportunity to fly mixed missions.
Mixed missions not only meaning different aircraft types but also
aircraft with different roles.
It also gives the international participants an important opportunity to
get to know each other. More and more missions the air force is send out
to do are with international participation.
During the two weeks two sorties a day were flown. With around 50
aircraft in a sortie a total of over 600 flights was flown. As training
area a large part of airspace over the north sea was used. Stretching
from Holland to Denmark Measuring 300 by 360 kilometer. During these two
weeks only two missions had to be scrapped because of bad weather.
Schleswig Jagel is home to one of the full tiger members: Taktisches
Luftwaffengeschwader 51 flying the Tornado in the reconnaissance role.
This year's tiger meet saw a lot of tiger units gathering. All in all an
impressive amount of 17 units participated for flying and socializing.
Participants this year were:
From Polands Poznan-Krzesiny airbase 6ELT flying the F16 block 52+.
From Kleine Brogel airbase Belgium 31 Smaldeel flying the F16A/B.
313 Squadron normally flying the F16 from Volkel airbase in the
Netherlands.
11F from Landivisiau naval airbase in Normandy France with the Rafale M,
the naval version of the Rafale.
Also from France EC5/330 with a mixed bag of the older Mirage2000C and
its replacement the Rafale.
The Swiss send 11Staffel from Meiringen flying their F18 Hornet.
Austria brought their venerable Saab105. After 44 years still going
strong.
192 Filo flying the F16C/D from warm Balikesir airbase in Turkey.
Also participating was the other German Tiger unit: TLG74 molders.
Coming up from Neuburg in Bavaria southern Germany.
The Czech Tiger unit 211LT with their Grippen
Neighboring country Slovakia's 59/1 squadron from Kecskemet also flying
the Grippen.
Also participating was the Tiger unit
with the biggest aircraft: 1 squadron flying the Awacs. Not from their
home base Geilenkirchen but forward deployed to Ørland Norway.
Additionally performing the CSAR role were:
KHR36 with the Tiger attack helicopter.
814 Naval Air Squadron (tiger) with their Merlin HM2.
221 Lvbr with the always impressive Mi24 Hind attack helicopter.
As always everybody brings with them the Tiger Spirit. This spirit is
proudly displayed on the various airframe's with colorful tiger
markings..
When we entered the airbase in the morning we were taken to a spot
along the taxi track. Many good pictures could be taken.
It was a full day with both missions being flown. Waiting to enter the
base three Portuguese F16's departed. They were weekend stoppers from
the Portuguese Tiger unit: Esquadron 301.
Next year's addition will be held at Konya airbase in the middle of
Turkey. Konya, being well known for exercise Anatolian Eagle (the
Turkish Red Flag), has the expertise to host these big exercises.
A big thank you goes to the organization at Schleswig Jagel
|
