NATO Tiger Association

A Super Étendard of the Flottille 11F of the French Navy during a 'Tiger Meet' in 2007

A Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter of 336 squadron, Royal Norwegian Air Force during a 'Tiger Meet' in 2007. Tiger Meet aircraft are often painted in 'Tiger stripes'

A Nord 262E N°51 of the flotille 28F, French Navy, based at Nîmes, at a 'Tiger Meet' in 2008

The NATO Tiger Association or the Association of Tiger Squadrons was established in 1961. Promoted by French Defence minister Pierre Messmer, its role is to promote solidarity between NATO air forces. It is not, though, part of the formal NATO structure.

The USAFE (United States Air Force Europe) 79th TFS (Tactical Fighter Squadron) took the initiative and on 19 July 1961 they invited No. 74 Squadron RAF and EC (Fighter Squadron) 1/12 Provence of the French Armée de l'air to Woodbridge in England. France was then a full military member of NATO.

As of March 2015, the squadrons^[1] included in the Association are 23 full members, 10 honorary members, 1 probationary member, and 7 disbanded members, all of which have a tiger as part of its squadron crest. As well as being opportunities for NATO air forces to share ideas and experiences, the ‘Tiger Meets’ are also public relations exercises for NATO. NATO aircraft are often brightly painted with tiger stripes.

Members

The following squadrons are full members of the association.

• Austrian Air Force
  • 1 Jet Training Squadron
• Belgian Air Force
  • 31 Smaldeel
• Czech Air Force
  • 211th TL (Tactical Squadron)
  • 221st LtBVr (Attack Helicopter Squadron)
• French Air Force
  • Escadron de Chasse et d'Expérimentation 05/330
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/7 "Provence"
• French Navy
  • Flottille 11F
• German Air Force
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann"
• Hellenic Air Force
  • 335 Squadron "Tigers"
• Hungarian Air Force
  • 59/1 Squadron^[2]
• Italian Air Force
  • XII Gruppo
  • 21 Gruppo (387th and 388th Flights)
•  NATO (NATO Airborne Early Warning Force)
  • Squadron 1
• Royal Netherlands Air Force
  • 313 squadron
• Royal Norwegian Air Force
  • 338 Skvadron
• Polish Air Force
  • 6 Squadron^[2]
• Portuguese Air Force
  • Esquadra 301 "Jaguares"
• Swiss Air Force
  • Fliegerstaffel 11
• Spanish Air Force
  • 142 Escuadrón
  • Ala 15
• Turkish Air Force
  • 192 Filo
• Royal Air Force
  • 230 Squadron
• Royal Navy
  • 814 Squadron

Honorary members

• Royal Canadian Air Force
  • 439 CSS
• Indian Air Force
  • 1 Squadron
• Slovakian Air Force
  • 1 Lt (Bojova letka)
• United States Air Force
  • 37th Bomb Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 79th Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 120th Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 391st Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 393rd Bomb Squadron
• United States Air Force Reserve
  • 141 ARS
• United States Navy
  • VP 8

Probationary members

• German Air Force
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 (assumed membership of JbG 32) ^[2]

Former members

The following squadrons were formerly members of the NATO Tiger Association until their disbanding by their respective organization.

• German Air Force
  • Aufklärungsgeschwader 52
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 32 (disbanded March 2013) ^[2]
  • Jagdbomberstaffel 431
• French Air Force
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/12
• Royal Norwegian Air Force
  • 336 Squadron
• Royal Air Force
  • 74 (F) Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 53rd Fighter Squadron

Tiger Meets

The most publicly visible aspect of the NATO Tiger Association are the annual Tiger Meets, during which member squadrons gather for exercises, conferences, and public relations.

Event	Dates	Location	Host	Silver Tiger	Units	Ref
NTM-1961	July 19–20	Woodbridge	79 TFS		3
NTM-1962	August 22–25	Woodbridge	79 TFS		8
NTM-1963	August 27–30	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel		8
NTM-1964	June 9–15	Cambrai	EC 1/12		8
NTM-1965	August 14–18	Bitburg	53 TFS		8
NTM-1966	July 5–9	Leuchars	74 (F) Sqn		8
NTM-1967	May 29-June 2	Leck	AG 52		7
NTM-1968	August 16–20	Lahr	439 TFS		8
NTM-1969	July 4–8	Woodbridge	79 TFS		8
NTM-1970	June 6–11	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel		8
NTM-1971	June 14–21	Upper Heyford	Jagdbomberstaffel 431		9
NTM-1972	June 12–19	Cambrai	EC 1/12		9
NTM-1973	June 16–22	Cameri	21 Gruppo		10
NTM-1974	June 25-July 1	Bitburg	53 TFS		9
NTM-1975	August 3–9	Leck	AG 52		9
NTM-1976	May 31-June 4	Baden-Soellingen	439 TFS		9
NTM-1977	June 22–28	RAF Greenham Common	79 TFS	439 TFS	11
NTM-1978	June 19–26	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	31 Smaldeel	13
NTM-1979	June 18–25	BA Cambrai	EC 1/12	439 TFS	13
NTM-1980	June 9–16	Cameri	21 Gruppo	Esq 301	14
NTM-1981	June 12–15	Bitburg	53 TFS	439 TFS	8
NTM-1982		RAF Gütersloh	203 Sqn	Fliegerstaffel 11	12
NTM-1983	June 10–16	Baden-Soellingen	439 TFS	JaboSt 431
NTM-1984	August 13–20	Leck	AG 52	31 Smaldeel	13
NTM-1985	July 1–8	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	Esq 301	13
NTM-1986	June 8–16	Cambrai	EC 1/12	53 TFS	18
NTM-1987	June 23–30	Montijo	Esq 301	JaboSt 431	18
NTM-1988	July 5–12	Cameri	21 Gruppo	74 (F) Sqn	14
NTM-1990	August 12–17	Upper Heyford	79 TFS	79 TFS	13
NTM-1991	July 17–21	Fairford	International Air Tattoo	53 TFS	16
NTM-1992	May 14–22	Albacete	142 Esc	EC 1/12	15
NTM-1993	August 8–13	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	79 TFS	10
NTM-1994	May 3–10	Cambrai	EC 1/12	31 Smaldeel	19
NTM-1996	May 21–29	Beja	Esq 301	31 Smaldeel	15
NTM-1997	July 16–21	Fairford	International Air Tattoo	31 Smaldeel	24
NTM-1998	June 15–26	Lecheld	JaboSt 321	21 Gruppo	18
NTM-2001	June 18–24	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	EC 1/12	18
NTM-2002	June 28-July 9	Beja	Esq 301	221 LtBVr
NTM-2003	June 2–8	Cambrai	EC 1/12	31 Smaldeel	13
NTM-2004	August 30-September 6	Schleswig-Jagel	TLG 51	JaboSt 321
NTM-2005	May 2–9	Balikesir	192 Filo	230 Sqn	11
NTM-2006	August 25-September 2	Albacete	142 Esc	EC 1/12	13
NTM-2007	August 23-September 10	Ørland	338 Skv	31 Smaldeel	18
NTM-2008	June 22-June 29	Landivisiau	Flottille 11F	11 Staffel	19
NTM-2009	August 14–25	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	EC 1/12	18
NTM-2010	October 4–15	Volkel	313 Sqn.	211th Sqn	18
NTM-2011	May 9–20	Cambrai	EC 1/12	Esq 301	19
NTM-2012	May 29-June 8	Ørland	338 Skv	31 Smaldeel	17
NTM-2013	June 17–28	Ørland	338 Skv	TLG 51
NTM-2014	June 16–27	Schleswig-Jagel	TLG 51	11 Staffel
NTM-2015	May 4–16	Konya	192 Filo	21 Gruppo

Bibliography

• Heuvel, Coen van den & Tuyn, Jac van. Tiger Meet, the 25th Anniversary 'NATO' Tiger Meet, Osprey, 1986, 978-0-8504-5703-2.

References

1. http://www.natotigers.org/tiger-units retrieved 6 Mar 2015
2. Archer, Bob, New Tails for the Tigers, Air Forces Monthly, Issue 317, August 2014, p.9

External links

• NATO Tiger Association website