JUNE 2017 BAN LANDIVISIAU NATO TIGER MEET
PHOTO BY DIEGO CROTTI
Copyright (C) Diego Crotti
Tiger Meets are the Association’s reason for being. While in the early days the Tiger Meet was mainly a social get together from Tiger squadrons things changed rapidly and tactical flying exercises were soon implemented into the Tiger Meet program.
On a typical Tiger Meet flying program you will find all possible combat training. Due to the growing helicopter force within the Tigers and their heavy use in today’s conflicts, they are integrated within the mission as Forward Air Controllers, insertion and extraction of ground forces, or in a CSAR role. Beside their work within the COMAO's the helicopter force often practices with local army (special) forces.
Whenever possible, Tiger Meets are incorporated into larger scale exercises like Clean Hunter 01, Anatolian Eagle, and Daring Eagle 02. During an average 2 week Tiger meet not less than 800 sorties are typically flown by the Tigers. No need to say that people involved in mission planning and aircraft maintenance also have a busy working schedule.
So what's the program of a typical 12 day NATO Tiger Meet? Well it all starts of with the arrival of the participants, briefings, some flying (yes,even that first day) and an opening ceremony were all flags are raised till the last day. In the morning most participants fly local missions among each other (called Shadow Waves), while in the afternoon the COMAO's are flown. No need to say that all these missions are carefully planned, briefed, executed and debriefed. At some Meets the COMAOs are flown in the morning. This schedule is followed for most of the flying days. By the end of the first OPS week it is time to tighten social strengths between all participating units. It is during these days that the well-known Tiger Games are executed. Tiger Games are mainly a mix of fun and sports. After a second week of even more intense training missions), the Tiger Meet is always closed by lowering the flags, and on that last evening, the traditional farewell party is started and various awards are handed out, of which the Silver Tiger Trophy is the most important one.
Tiger Trophy Winners
Silver Tiger Trophy: 31 smd (Kleine Brogel, BEL)
Best Flying Unit: 31 smd (Kleine Brogel, BEL)
Best Painted Tiger Aircraft: 11F (BAN Landivisiau, FRA)
Best Looking Uniform: 31 smd (Kleine Brogel, BEL)
Tiger Games: ECE 01/30 (BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan, FRA)
Best Skit: 230 Sqn (RAF Benson, GBR)
Copyright (C) Diego Crotti