Switzerland has deployed four F/A-18 Super Hornets to Jagel, Germany to participate in the NATO Tiger meet; an annual exercise for member nations and partners to “improve tactics, techniques and procedures in a highly sophisticated multinational and joint training environment”. The four Swiss jets are supported by a 50-strong personnel detachment.
This exercise marks the 24th team that Fliegerstaffel 11 (the Tiger Squadron of the Swiss Air Force) has participated in a NATO Tiger Meet. “Our pilots hugely benefit from this challenging training event. They fly with our international partners, go through in-person flight training and participate in large force employment,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Andrin Witshi, responsible for the Swiss Tiger detachment.
Although Switzerland is a NATO partner rather than a member, Witshi added that the common tactics, techniques and procedures employed for aircraft missions was of key relevance, with Swiss pilots “gathering invaluable experiences in an exceptional mix of training missions in areas that differ from when they fly in mountainous terrain in Switzerland”.
However, although he adds that individual and collective training is “mission-essential”, Fliegerstaffel 11 will not be able to stay until the end of the Tiger Meet as it redeploys to Switzerland for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine taking place on 15 and 16 June.
First published by FINN: www.wearefinn.com
Jun 13, 2024 – 9:46 am
