With over 800 sorties and 1,200 hours flown, the success of NTM 2023 confirms the importance of the Air Force's role in serving the security of Europe and NATO.
Gioia del Colle, 13/10/2023 – After 35 years since its last experience in Italy, the air exercise concluded on Friday, 13 October NATO Tiger Meet 2023 (NTM), organised this year by the Air Force in Gioia del Colle (BA), home of the 36th “Fighter” Wing, which was attended by Flying Units from 12 nations belonging to the NATO Tiger Association (NTA).
An international, joint services scenario, held in the skies over Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria, where training and operational experiences were aimed at developing and maximising the integration and interoperability of 19 fixed-wing and rotary-wing flying units, and other supporting assets, with alternating complex COMAO (Composite Air Operation) missions and complementary missions, including Electronic Warfare (EW), Basic Fighter Manoeuvring (BFM), Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) and Slow Mover Interceptor (SMI). This exercise, which has been repeated annually since 1960, aims to improve the interoperability of assets in air defence and interdiction missions, Close Air Support (CAS) for ground troops, and Personnel Recovery (PR) in hostile environments. In this context, the “Tiger Meet” is a further opportunity for confrontation, at a multinational level, also for Flying Squadrons that do not usually participate in this type of training, which is colloquially known as Large Force Employment (LFE).
During a visit to the international delegations redeployed in Gioia del Colle, the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, accompanied by the Belgian Chief of Defence, Mr. Michel Hofman, and other Armed Forces Chiefs from participating countries, expressed strong appreciation for the professionalism that the men and women of the Azzurra Arma dedicate to every operational and international context, highlighting how the organization and management of an activity such as NTM represents for Europe“the demonstration of how Italy plays an important role”and how it is capable of facing the challenges it is called to respond to.
The Air Force, in fact, constantly participates in exercises aimed at maintaining a high level of operational readiness and interoperability, helping to strengthen NATO's defence and deterrence posture. The Tiger Meet has made it possible to test the capabilities and enabling functions linked to the task of Air Basing, with the 36th Wing managing – coordinating all logistical, support and synchronisation functions with the territory – an exercise with record numbers, for the quantity of aircraft (almost 80) and personnel employed (over 1300), variety of equipment and geographical and cultural origin.
For Italy, participation – as NTA members – included the 12th Flight Group of the 36th Fighter Wing, with Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, and the 21st Flight Group of the 9th Wing of Grazzanise, with its HH-101A helicopters. Also taking part in the exercise were the 60th Wing of Guidonia (RM), with U-208 aircraft; the 14th Wing of Pratica di Mare with a G-550 CAEW with Command and Control (C2) capabilities; the 2nd Wing of Rivolto (UD), with the SIRIUS Air Defence (DA) system deployed in Calabria; the Air Riflemen of the 16th Wing of Martina Franca and the Raiders of the 17th Wing of Furbara. Logistical support for the exercise was also provided by the 3rd Wing of Villafranca, the Support Service which ensured operational logistical support through the deployment of strategic assets for airport/handling activities useful to the exercise objectives, the 2nd Division of the Logistic Command – through the use of the Autonomous Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation (AACMI) – the Mobile Command and Control Unit (RMCC) of Bari-Palese – with operational and technical components enabling the exercise of the C2 function – the Air Firing Experimental and Standardisation Department (RSSTA), which reports to the Joint Experimental and Training Firing Range of Salto di Quirra (PISQ), and the 16th Field Engineering Group of Bari-Palese in support of the flight units. Furthermore, the 3rd Division of the Air Force Logistic Command, acting as the Armed Force's CIS (Communication Information Systems) Service Provider, ensured the implementation of services supporting the exercise through the deployment of technical personnel and assets from the subordinate units of the 4th Brigade of Borgo Piave, the Automated Information Systems Department (ReSIA) and the 2nd Communications Technical Department of Bari-Palese.
The Navy has deployed the Caio Duilio destroyer, operating as an air defence asset, while the Italian Army has contributed by providing part of the logistical support, as have the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the Red Cross, and the Civil Protection, which had the opportunity to operate in a multinational exercise context, as part of the ongoing collaboration that has always been carried out with the Armed Forces.
An excellent training opportunity offered by the 2023 “Tiger Meet”, also an occasion for exchange and integration of different cultures, to develop and strengthen the esprit de corps and cooperation that characterises the “Tiger spirit”, with a view to interoperability between the participating assets.
This year, the coveted “Silver Tiger” award has been claimed by the 74th German Fighter Wing, based at Neuburg Air Base. Once again, the NATO Tiger Meet has proven to be a training event of significant importance, conducted with countries boasting excellence in international defence.
The 36th Fighter Wing of Gioia Del Colle, along with the 4th Wing of Grosseto, the 37th Wing of Trapani, the 51st Wing of Istrana and the 32nd Wing of Amendola (also with the support of the 6th Wing of Ghedi), is the guarantor of national air defence, ensures NATO's Quick Reaction Alert service, and constantly participates in operations. Air policing ed Enhanced air policing in support of the security and integrity of European airspace and therefore of NATO itself.
The 9th Wing, with its HH-101 and HH-212 aircraft, carries out support operations for Special Operations as well as search and rescue of isolated personnel in hostile territory (so-called operations of Personnel Recovery), providing air support to special forces and carrying out emergency medical evacuations in the event of casualties. The role of the 9th Wing is to contribute to the security of the country, the defence of vital national interests, protect human lives, and support the security arrangements for military deployments abroad, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian aid, as well as the implementation of national protection measures during major events or for public order maintenance.
