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Tiger Meet at Jagel 2024
Karo-Aviation
reports on the Tiger meet 2024
Aircrews from across NATO have been gathering in Germany to show off
their claws at this year's Tiger Meet.
NATO Tiger Meet offers a unique opportunity for Allied and Partner Tiger
squadrons to train to NATO standards increasing flying skills and
interoperability
With a long-standing history the Tiger Meet saw over 60 aircraft from
several NATO Nations and Switzerland, come together
in a demonstration of capabilities in this iconic international exercise
at the home of the Tactical Air Wing 51 in Northern Germany From June 3
to 13, 2024.
Some nations participated their jets from their respective home bases
and some participated as visitors and observers.
This year’s Tiger Meet also marked the debut of the F-35A Lightning II
in the exercise. The Royal Netherlands Air Force was the first Tiger
unit to participate with the fifth generation fighter in the exercise
operating from their home base Volkel.
The 'Tiger Meet' encourages NATO Allies to bring planes with fancy paint
jobs. As it turns out, some planes just look better in tiger stripes!
But for some NATO Allies, the fancy paint jobs are more than skin deep –
they reflect decades of cooperation and integrated training.
A Tiger Meet offers a unique opportunity for the different Tiger
squadrons to participate in joint training with fixed and rotary wing
platforms, in a multi-domain operational context. It applies NATO
standards bringing together Allied and Partner aircraft increasing
flying skills, and interoperability combined with the social aspect of
the exercise to bond the different squadrons on a personal level.
The exercise provide daily training, with tactical-level live-fly
opportunities for air interdiction missions, Close Air Support and
Search and Rescue missions, increasing readiness and fine-tuning
warfighting skills in a multinational joint forces environment
This year's participating units
included operating from
Jagel :
● Escadron de Chasse 3/30 – French Air and Space Force – Rafale B/C
● Escadron de Chasse 3/3 of the French Air and Space Force – Mirage
2000D
● Flotille 11F – French Navy – Rafale N
● Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 – German Air Force – Eurofighter
EF2000
● Marinefliegergeschwader 5 – German Naval Air Arm – NH90 Sea Lion
● 12° Gruppo – Italian Air Force – F-2000A Typhoon
● 6 Eskadra Lotnicza – Polish Air Force – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
● 211 Taktcká Letka – Czech Air Force – JAS-39C/D Gripen
● 335 Mira – Hellenic Air Force – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
● 192 Filo – Turkish Air Force – F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
● Fliegerstaffel 11 – Swiss Air Force – F/A-18C/D Hornet
● EHRA 3- French Army - SA-342M Gazelle, EC-665 Tigre HAP, NH-90
Flying from there home base
● 313 Squadron – Royal Netherlands Air Force Air Force – F-35 Lightning
II
● 31 Smaldeel – Belgian Air Force – F-16A/B MLU Fighting Falcon
● Flying Squadron 1 – NATO – E-3A Sentry
History of the association
The NATO Tiger Association or the Association of Tiger Squadrons was
established in 1961. Promoted by French Defence minister Pierre Messmer,
with the aim of improving relationships between individual Tiger
squadrons within NATO. Each of these squadrons had a Tigers head in
their squadron crest.
The Tiger stands as a symbol of strength, speed and hunting prowess. The
aims of the association established back in 1961 remain valid to this
day:
· Improvement of solidarity between NATO members
· The creation and maintenance of team-spirit and camaraderie between
the participating members
· The exchange of experiences and cooperation in line with the military
goals of NATO
Since 1962 Tiger Meets have evolved into first class military exercises
where the participants fly combined missions encompassing the entire
spectrum of military operations. Alongside low flying, emphasis is
placed on:-
· Air to air refuelling
· Air combat
· The use of weapon ranges
· Command and control
In recent years Helicopters have naturally joined the Tiger Squadrons as
combat “Fighter aircraft” are no longer the sole attack force. In
addition, a significant variety of aircraft will be seen at a Tiger meet
to provide back up and support as you would expect in any modern
Military Theatre.
The exercise
The typical program of the 12 days, starts with the arrival of the
participants, briefings, familiarization flights and an opening ceremony
were flags of all participating nations are raised. As we already
mentioned, the exercise is also the right occasion to tighten social
strengths between all participating units and, at the end of the first
week, the Tiger Games, mainly a mix of fun and sports, are held.
Usually, during flying days, in the morning most participants fly local
missions among each other, while the afternoon is reserved for the
COMAOs of increasing difficulty. Composite Air Operations cover a wide
spectrum of the modern air warfare, such as Defensive/Offensive Counter
Air, Air Interdiction, Targeting and Suppression – Destruction of Enemy
Air Defense.
Due to the growing helicopter force within the NTA members and their
heavy use in today’s conflicts, they are integrated within the COMAO
mission as insertion and extraction of ground forces, support of special
ops, Combat Search And Rescue and so on.
At the end of the second week of the exercise, there is the traditional
farewell party during which various awards are handed out, with the
Silver Tiger Trophy being the most important one.
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