- Air Force
NATO Tiger Meet 2010
The NATO Tiger Meet is an annual event held in a different place each year during which flying squadrons that share a tiger or big cat emblem come together. In 2010, this large-scale international exercise took place between 4 and 15 October at the Royal Netherlands Air Force air base of Volkel. RNLAF´s 313 Squadron, itself a “tiger unit”, organised and hosted the event.
What started in the 1960s as a primarily social gathering has developed over the years into a highly sophisticated training event. Through highly varied programmes, the exercising units keep their skills up to par and have the opportunity to exchange valuable experience.
The NATO Tiger Association brings together units from all over the world that have a tiger or other big cat in their logos or emblems. The Tiger Meet is also intended by the association to strengthen the ties between its members. Although its name would lead one to suspect otherwise, the NATO Tiger Meet is not organised by NATO. NATO has included the event in its training schedule, however.
The NATO Tiger Meet is organised by a different tiger unit every year. In 2010, the honour fell to 313 F-16 Squadron of Volkel Air Base.
313 Squadron, established in 1953 at Volkel Air Base, began its existence training new pilots for European navigation and weather conditions. After subsequent relocations to Woensdrecht Air Base and Twenthe Air Base, it eventually returned to Volkel in 2006 equipped with F-16s. Its training task had been transferred to 306 Squadron a few years earlier. At present, 313 Squadron is one of five operational F-16 squadrons of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
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