ORIGIN
OF THE NATO TIGER ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION AIMS
Following the wishes of M.Pierre Messner, the then French defense
minister, the Association of Tiger Squadrons was established in 1959
to improve relationships between individual squadrons
within NATO.
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 Royal Air Force and EC 1/12 Squadron
of the French Armée de l`air to Woodbridge in England.
Each of these squadrons
had a Tigers' head in their squadron crest.
The tiger stands as a symbol of strength, speed and hunting prowess.
Due to the succes of the first 'meet' it was decided that future 'meets'
would be held annually....At the second Tigermeet at Woodbridge the
followingaims were formulated. These aims remain valid to this day :
1. Improvement of solidarity between NATO members
2. The creation
and maintenance of team-spirit and camaraderie
between the participating members
3. The exchange
of experiences and cooperation in line with the
military goals of NATO
MILITARY
BENEFITS
Besides
some of the well-known social Tiger traditions, Tigermeets
evolved to a first class military exercise where the participants fly
combined missions encompassing the entire spectrum of military
operations. Alongside low flying emphasis is placed on air to air
refueling, air combat, the use of weapon ranges, etc... The exchange
of experiences between aircrews is not to be underestimated.
For countries that can not afford to participate in large `flag
exercises` in North America, 'Tiger Meet' is one of the few
multinational exercises available. In view of the changing world
security situation, participation is becoming ever more important.
ORGANIZATION
You will
not find the NATO Tiger Meet on any NATO exercise schedule.
Nor will you find an office at any NATO HQ with responsibility for the
NTA. So, the natural questions are:“How do I find out about the tigers
and the next tiger meet?” “How can I contact the NTA president?” “
Where do you get your guidance and authority?” “Who plans and
coordinates your operational missions?” These questions have been
asked countless times throughout our history. The answers
often surprise the guy asking the question. The answer provides
a glimpse at our most cherished tradition:
The NTA is not dependent on any NATO HQ.The Tiger
Council and
the advisors provide guidance, but it is the host squadron that plans
the NTM and coordinates the ops side of things.
