Tiger Meet debut of the F-35 Lightning II

This year the next edition of the traditional NATO Tiger Meet took place at the German Air Base Schleswig–Jagel in the Northern part of Germany. From 3–13 June 2024, Allied aircraft participated in the annual meeting. The NATO Tiger Meet offers a unique opportunity for Allied and Partner Tiger squadrons to train to NATO standards increasing flying skills and interoperability. The meeting at Schleswig–Jagel is hosted by the German squadron TLG–51 ‘Immelmann’ which is based here in the far north. The Tiger Meet in 2024 was also the debut of the F–35A Lightning II at the exercise. The Royal Netherlands Air Force is the first Tiger unit which participated with this fighter jet.

Background

With the main goals of sharing experiences, increasing interoperability, exemplary values and team spirit as a guiding principle, the NATO Tiger Meet has developed into an important exercise within NATO in almost 60 years. The tradition teaches that the participating squadrons, whether they are flying with airplanes or helicopters, are always present in the well known tiger colours. The squadron emblem of all these participants is the tiger. This predator is a formidable and proud predator and an excellent hunter, this character fits exactly with the operational units of the NATO countries. The motto of the tiger units in Europe is “Hard to be Humble”. The NATO Tiger Association is a collection of military units from NATO member states. The organisation allows all units with helicopters or aircraft with a tiger or a feline as an emblem. Since 1961, the organisation has been organising the NATO Tiger Meet every year. This meeting

gives the units and their crew the opportunity to gather and participate in various exercises. The story of the Tiger Meet began on 19 July 1961, when three Tiger squadrons met at the British airbase RAF Woodbridge which was in use at that time by the US Air Force. The units that participated in the meeting from the first hour are the Royal Air Force 74 Squadron with the Lightning, EC 1/12 “Cambresis” with the Super Mystère B2 and the 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron with the F–100 Super Saber. During the Cold War in a context of international tensions, the French Minister of Defence Pierre Messmer created the meeting to promote solidarity between the NATO units and to improve the quality of operational deployment.

International Training

The NATO Tiger Meet (NTM) is not only about the team spirit and the traditions which are being propagated. In addition to these social activities, it is also about training the tough reality of modern scenarios during various conflicts. Different scenarios are practiced daily in which two training waves a day are launched. The purpose of this exercise is to intensify cooperation with the other participating nations. The exchange of experience between the armed forces relates to aviation and technical aspects. In the former, the debriefing, the joint follow–up to the mission, proves to be particularly valuable. The exchange of knowledge, technologies and cultural values promotes innovation and understanding. In this way, all participating nations benefit from the shared experiences and progress. This concept enhances interoperability. This is often the central objective of the majority of the meeting participants. Different scenarios are made up during the preparation that are suitable for both the younger pilots and the very experienced pilots. Depending on the scenario, participants will take turns taking part in both the Allied Air Force (Blue Air) and the Aggressor (Red Air). During the missions, the combat aircraft are equipped with chaff and flare pods and interference equipment to simulate air operations as real as possible. In this way, the scenarios come very close to actual operations in a crisis area. The intensity of air missions requires a high level of expertise and highly qualified crews. The NTM largely took place this year within a very large training area over the North Sea on the West Coast of Germany and Denmark. This meeting allowed all parties involved to train in international efforts. Common operational procedures are used for this and training with up–to–date threats makes

the exercise feel like an operational reality. By using the tactics of each country in an ambitious environment, the exercise is lifted to a higher level.

A typical flight day during the NATO Tiger Meet is made up of two large flights. A large combined flight is often planned in the morning. This flight is the so called COMAO wave (COMposite Air Operations). During this flight several smaller missions were flown during the scenario.

Every participant had its own mission and role within the whole scenario. This year, the theme of the COMAO scenarios was emphatically on the planning of a large scale international Air Defence Force of more than thirty to forty combat aircraft.

During the NTM 2024 there was training on the planning of these types of missions and especially on leading these missions. After the missions, extensive analyses were released on the results of that day. They jointly learned from what happened during the various sub missions.

The second flight of the day consisted of the basic and advanced flights. During this shadow wave, the participants of the Tiger Meet scenarios flew missions that matched their own level or the level of their own team. The main objective was to fly missions with or against aircraft of other types. These missions often consisted of In Visual Range battles against other types of combat aircraft than their own types. Also, often with the helicopter units, air support missions were flown (Close Air Support) or missions were flown around Electronic warfare and jamming.

Due to the great importance of the exercise, which is reflected not least in the large number of participants, it is important that the Air Forces are committed as a reliable partner in the alliance of European air forces and make their contribution to joint air defense. The NTM is regularly one of the largest exercises for combined air warfare operations in Europe and therefore offers particularly valuable experience for the participating aircraft crews.

Participants NTM24

In Germany, there are two so called Tiger squadrons that are full members of the NATO Tiger Association. The “51 Tigers” of the Tactical Air Force Wing 51 “Immelmann” (TLG–51) have been full members of the NATO Tiger Association since 1994. The Bavarian Tigers from Neuburg took over the so–called Tiger Spirit in 2013 from the “321 Lechfeld Tigers” of the disbanded Fighter Bomber Wing 32 (JBG–32). The Tactical Air Force Squadron 51 “Immelmann” is the only flying unit of the German Air Force that has the capabilities for manned and unmanned imaging and signal capturing air based reconnaissance. On 1 April 2013, the squadron took over the ability to suppress enemy ground based air defences from the disbanded

Fighter Bomber Squadron 32 from Lechfeld. Equipped with all weather Tornado ECR fighter aircraft, modern reconnaissance sensors and a deployable evaluation system, the squadron is part of the Bundeswehr’s operational forces. Since 1 January 2005, the squadron has also been tasked with the role of naval warfare from the air. TLG–51 is the host unit for this year’s Tiger Meet.

The majority of the participants operated daily from Schleswig– Jagel Air Base. Both the French Air Force and the French Navy participated with their Dassault Rafale. The Greek, Polish and Turkish Air Force were in Germany with their F–16C Fighting Falcons. The Germans from Bavaria and the Italian Air Force participated with the EF2000 Eurofighter Typhoon. The Swiss Air Force was the only non NATO member who joined the meeting annually and they flew along with the F/A–18C Hornet. Finally the Czech Air Force participated with the JAS–39C/D Gripen. The Belgian Air Force flew with their F–16s from their home base in Kleine–Brogel during the missions. The same was for the Dutch flying the F–35As from Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands. The NATO unit from Geilenkirchen operated also from their home base with the E–3A Sentry to guide the Tiger Meet missions. Next to the fighter aircraft there are also helicopters present at the Tiger Meet. The French Army (ALAT) operated in Germany with Gazelle, NH90 and Tigre helicopters. One additional unit that took

part was MFG–5 from the German Navy. This unit is not a member of the Tiger Association, but operated with one Lynx helicopter during the missions.

Debut F–35A Lightning II

One of the most remarkable participants in this year’s Tiger Meet was the participation of the Dutch 313 Squadron from the Netherlands. This unit is based at Volkel Air Base and operated during the meeting from their home base. The 313 Squadron is the first unit in the history of the Tiger Meet which participated with the Lockheed–Martin F–35A Lightning II. Despite the fact that they flew from their home base it was still the debut of the F–35A Lightning II on this famous stage. The 313 Squadron flew along in the missions twice a day with three to four aircraft. Four aircraft came over to Schleswig–Jagel during the weekend to participate in the Tiger games which took place in during weekend. On Friday, the four aircraft arrived at the German Airbase after the morning sortie. Showing up with the F–35A Lightning II was a huge milestone for the

Dutch 3313 squadron. It was their first appearance with this new aircraft since they left the stage five years ago. The last participation of the 313 Squadron was during the Tiger Meet in 2019 at the French Landivisiau. The unit showed up with a few F–16AM Fighting Falcon aircraft during that Tiger Meet as an observer. At the end of December 2020, the 313 Squadron at Volkel Air Base ceased its activities with the F–16 Fighting Falcon. The 313 Squadron was released from operational duty to begin its conversion to the F–35A Lightning II. After a period of 32 years, the 313 Squadron stopped flying the legendary F–16 Fighting Falcon. The unit received its first F–16s in 1988, when the unit was

still based at Twenthe Air Base. From December 2005, the first F–16s from 313 Squadron were moved to Volkel. Since then, the airbase in Brabant has been home to the 313 Squadron, which is known for its emblem depicting the tiger.

The 313 Squadron is the second operational unit after the 322 Squadron to fly the F–35A. The 313 Squadron is already for a long time a member of the NATO Tiger Association. The unit became a member in 1990 and will continue in the future with the F–35A.

The conversion of the 313 Squadron to the F–35A Lightning II started in early 2021. The pilots of the unit left for the United States to Luke Air Force Base in the state of Arizona. At this American airbase, the Royal Netherlands Air Force currently has eight F–35As that are used for the training of the pilots. The pilots were trained in the course of the following year. The ex F–16 pilots had no longer to go through the entire programme, because they are, after all, already qualified fighter pilots. This was therefore only a conversion training on the Lockheed Martin F–35A Lightning II. The fact that the pilots already have experience on the F–16 is a plus, but that does not mean that the conversion training is immediately an easy training, because the F–35A is an advanced aircraft and cannot be compared with the F–16.

Once the first 313 Squadron pilots had completed their conversion training in America, the unit moved temporarily to Leeuwarden Air Base. This happened in the second half of 2021. Here, the main goal was that the pilots of the 313 Squadron would learn from their experienced colleagues from the 322 Squadron as they fly the types already for two more years. At Leeuwarden, the 313 Squadron started its road to initial operational status as a squadron. Eventually the 313 Squadron was relocated to Volkel Air Base halfway 2022. On 30 June 2022 the first F–35A Lightning II for the 313 Squadron landed at Volkel Air Base, and the squadron started the next phase on their road map to Initial Operational Capable (IOC) on this 5th generation fighter. The unit is nowadays already IOC and is on its way to reach Full Operational Capability in 2024. The F–16AM Fighting Falcon which is currently still in use at the 312 Squadron at Volkel will stop its activities in late September this year. The F–35 will take over the full role of the good old Viper from that moment on. In early 2024 the F–35 already took over the Quick Reaction Role of the F–16 and since 1 June 2024 also the nuclear role belongs to the F–35’s. This is a huge step for the Dutch F–35 fleet. Showing up in a large–scale international exercise like the Tiger Meet was therefore for the 313 Squadron a huge achievement. The unit is back on the ‘Tiger’ stage and is here to perform many years with the Lightning II. After finishing the road to the point where they are now, the 313 Squadron is the first unit in the Tiger Meet history operating a fifth generation fighter in the exercise. Therefore the Dutch tiger spirit will live on!

Trophies and Awards

Traditionally, trophies are awarded every year to the participating units in different categories. The main prize that can be won is the Silver Tiger, which was taken home this year by the Polish 6elt from Poznan Air Base. This prize means that the Polish Air Force had the best overall performance during all the aspects of the Tiger Meet. Also the Tiger games were won by the Polish unit. During these games the teams of all the countries play simple funny games against each other to socialise next to the hard working during the missions on the flying days. The Tiger

games are traditionally held in the weekend between the two mission weeks. The best skit award is given to the participant who has the best performance and best show during the Tiger Meet. The intention is to give a small show with much humour and self spotting involved. The winner of this award this year was the French unit EC3/30 ‘Lorraine’ from the French base Mont–de– Marsan. The trophy for the best performing unit during the exercises is a very important trophy as it says something about the performance of the unit in their core job. This year the prize was won by the French 11 Flotille of the French Navy. This unit is from BAN Landivisiau and operates the Dassault Rafale Marine. The unit had the best overall performance during the exercise missions during the NTM. One of the most important prizes in the area of aesthetics is the trophy for the best looking tiger print. It is a tradition that all units bring one special paint aircraft to the NATO Tiger Meet. Mostly the tails and sometimes complete aircraft are painted in the wildest versions of tiger prints. The trophy for the best print was this year for the host unit TLG–51 of the German Luftwaffe. The unit showed a Tornado which was fully painted. The back of the aircraft had a big tiger emblem visible when the aircraft would make a pass with swept wings.

Unfortunately this pass was not made during one of the spotter days of the meeting. But all in all this was the best looking fighter in the whole event. The most beautiful uniform was worn by the crew members of the Fliegerstaffel 11 from Switzerland. The members of this unit had according to their colleagues the best looking uniform during the exercise whit a good focus on the tiger spirit. The unit is based at the Swiss Airbase in Meiringen and is one of the few non–NATO members of the Tiger Association. After two weeks of intense training and two fantastic spotter days for the fans the Tiger Meet 2024 ended with the flag ceremony. Next year the Tiger Spirit will show its skill on Beja Air Base when the Portuguese 301 ‘jaguar’ Squadron will host the NATO Tiger Meet.