he NATO Flying Club Patch Collection - Membership by Proximity to International Incidents The Bear has no issue messing with you and your friends. Poke it back. In Joint and Allied efforts, aviators from the United States Navy (USN), United States Air Force (USAF), and multiple North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations patrol the skies above European waterways to conduct various mission sets. Aircrews fly to ensure freedom of air/maritime navigation, monitor shipping lanes, enforce international law, and, if called upon, conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW). Flying Club patches are tongue-in-cheek references to the brotherhoods of military aviators who've operated over some of the most geopolitically sensitive bodies of water on the planet. Since 1949, NATO aviators have dealt with an adversary that has no issue conducting near-miss intercepts, aggressive radio calls, and frequent sovereign airspace violations. These patches serve as membership cards to an exclusive club nobody asked to join. Perfect For: Maritime Patrol Aviators, Carrier Air Wing Aviators, Reconnaissance and Surveillance operators, and anyone who has heard "IVORY EAGLE, IVORY EAGLE" on guard frequency more times than they can count. The Bear never learns its lesson. So kick the tires and light the fires - welcome to the club.
