NATO Tiger Association explained

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. However, it is not part of the formal NATO structure.

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

As of May 2016, the squadrons^[1] included in the Association are 24 full members, 10 honorary members, and 7 disbanded members, all of which have a tiger as part of their squadron crests. 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 24 squadrons are full members of the association.

• Austrian Air Force
  • 1 Jet Training Squadron
  • 2. Squadron/Fighter Wing
• Belgian Air Force
  • 31 Smaldeel
• Czech Air Force
  • 211. taktická letka (211th Tactical Squadron)
  • 221. vrtulníková letka (221st Helicopter Squadron)
• French Air Force
  • Escadron de Chasse et d'Expérimentation 1/30 'Cote d'Argent'
  • Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine
• French Navy
  • Flottille 11F
• German Air Force
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann" (Tactical Air Force Wing 51)
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 "Bavarian Tigers" (Tactical Air Force Wing 74)
• 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 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'nci Kaplan Filo
• Royal Air Force
  • 230 Squadron
• Royal Navy
  • 814 Naval Air Squadron

Honorary members

• Royal Canadian Air Force
  • 439 CSS
• Indian Air Force
  • 1 Squadron
• Slovak Air Force
  • 1 Lt (Bojova letka)
• United States Air Force
  • 37th Bomb Squadron
  • 79th Fighter Squadron
  • 120th Fighter Squadron
  • 391st Fighter Squadron
  • 393rd Bomb Squadron
• United States Air National Guard
  • 141st Air Refueling Squadron
• United States Navy
  • VP-8

Probationary members

• none

Former members

Members of the NATO Tiger Association until their disbanding by their respective organization.

• Aufklärungsgeschwader 52 (German Air Force)
• Jagdbombergeschwader 32 (disbanded March 2013)^[2]
• Jagdbomberstaffel 431 (German Air Force)
• Escadron de Chasse 1/12 (French Air Force)
• Escadron de Chasse 1/7 "Provence" (French Air Force)
• 336 Squadron, Royal Norwegian Air Force
• 74 (F) Squadron, RAF (disbanded 2000)
• 53rd Fighter Squadron, USAF

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
1961	19–20 July				3	^[3]
1962	22–25 August	RAF Woodbridge			8	^[4] ]
1963	27–30 August				8	^[5]
1964	9–15 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12		8	^[6]
1965	14–18 August		53 TFS		8	^[7]
1966	5–9 July				8	^[8]
1967	29 May – 2 June				7	^[9]
1968	16–20 August				8	^[10]
1969	4–8 July	RAF Woodbridge			8	^[11]
1970	6–11 June				8	^[12]
1971	14–21 June				9	^[13]
1972	12–19 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12		9	^[14]
1973	16–22 June	Cameri	21 Gruppo		10	^[15]
1974	25 June – 1 July		53 TFS		9	^[16]
1975	3–9 August				9	^[17]
1976	31 May – 4 June				9	^[18]
1977	22–28 June				11	^[19]
1978	19–26 June				13	^[20]
1979	18–25 June	BA Cambrai	EC 1/12		13	^[21]
1980	9–16 June	Cameri	21 Gruppo	Esq 301	14	^[22]
1981	12–15 June		53 TFS		8	^[23]
1982	26–30 August				12	^[24]
1983	10–16 June				12	^[25]
1984	13–20 August				13	^[26]
1985	1–8 July			Esq 301	13	^[27]
1986	8–16 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12	53 TFS	18	^[28]
1987	23–30 June				18	^[29]
1988	5–12 July	Cameri	21 Gruppo		14	^[30]
1990	12–17 August	RAF Upper Heyford			13	^[31]
1991	17–21 July		RIAT	53 TFS	16	^[32]
1992	14–22 May		142 Esc	EC 1/12	15	^[33]
1993	8–13 August				10	^[34]
1994	3–10 May	Cambrai	EC 1/12		19	^[35]
1996	21–29 May				15	^[36]
1997	16–21 July	RAF Fairford	RIAT		24	^[37]
1998	15–26 June			21 Gruppo	18	^[38]
2001	18–24 June			EC 1/12	18	^[39]
2002	28 June – 9 July			221 LtBVr	19	^[40]
2003	2–8 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12		13	^[41]
2004	30 August – 6 September			JaboSt 321	14	^[42]
2005	2–9 May	Balikesir	192 Filo		11	^[43]
2006	25 September – 2 October		142 Esc	EC 1/12	13	^[44]
2007	23 September – 1 October		338 Skv		18	^[45]
2008	22 – 29 June	Landivisiau			19	^[46]
2009	14–25 September			EC 1/12	18	^[47]
2010	4–15 October		313 Sqn.	211th Sqn	18	^[48]
2011	9–20 May	Cambrai	EC 1/12		19	^[49]
2012	29 May – 8 June		338 Skv		17	^[50]
2013	17–28 June		338 Skv		19	^[51]
2014	16–27 June				16	^[52]
2015	4–16 May		192 Filo	21 Gruppo	13	^[53]
2016	16–27 May		Ala 15		22	^[54]
2017	5–16 June	Landivisiau			20	^[55]
2018	14–25 May		6 ELT	313 Sqn.	22	^[56]
2019	13–24 May		EC 3/30		18	^[57]
2021	2–14 May				7	^[58]
"XT-Roar-dinary Tiger Event" 2021	7–14 September					^[59]
2021	9–20 May				10	^[60]
2023	2–13 October		12° Gruppo		18	^[61]

Bibliography

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

External links

• NATO Tiger Association website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tiger Units | NATO Tigers . natotigers.org . 18 May 2016.
2. Archer, Bob, New Tails for the Tigers, Air Forces Monthly, Issue 317, August 2014, p. 9
3. Web site: 1961 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
4. Web site: 1962 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
5. Web site: 1963 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
6. Web site: 1964 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
7. Web site: 1965 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
8. Web site: 1966 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
9. Web site: 1967 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
10. Web site: 1968 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
11. Web site: 1969 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
12. Web site: 1970 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
13. Web site: 1971 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
14. Web site: 1972 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
15. Web site: 1973 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
16. Web site: 1974 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
17. Web site: 1975 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
18. Web site: 1976 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
19. Web site: 1977 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
20. Web site: 1978 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
21. Web site: 1979 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
22. Web site: 1980 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
23. Web site: 1981 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
24. Web site: 1982 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
25. Web site: 1983 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
26. Web site: 1984 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
27. Web site: 1985 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
28. Web site: 1986 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
29. Web site: 1987 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
30. Web site: 1988 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
31. Web site: 1990 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
32. Web site: 1991 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
33. Web site: 1992 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
34. Web site: 1993 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
35. Web site: 1994 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
36. Web site: 1996 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
37. Web site: 1997 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
38. Web site: 1998 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
39. Web site: 2001 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
40. Web site: 2002 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
41. Web site: 2003 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
42. Web site: 2004 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
43. Web site: 2005 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
44. Web site: 2006 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
45. Web site: 2007 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
46. Web site: 2008 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
47. Web site: 2009 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
48. Web site: 2010 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
49. Web site: 2011 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
50. Web site: 2012 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
51. Web site: 2013 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
52. Web site: 2014 NATO Tigers . 2024-08-31 . www.natotigers.org.
53. Web site: 2015 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
54. Web site: 2016 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
55. Web site: 2017 NATO Tigers . 2024-08-31 . www.natotigers.org.
56. Web site: 2018 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
57. Web site: 2019 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
58. Web site: 2021 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
59. Web site: 2021 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
60. Web site: 2022 | NATO Tigers. www.natotigers.org.
61. http://www.natotigers.org/tiger-meets/2023