From June 3 to 13, 2024, Allied aircraft will participate in the annual NATO Tiger Meet at Schleswig Air Base, Germany, according to a press release.
NATO Tiger Meet offers a unique opportunity for Allied and Partner Tiger squadrons to train to NATO standards, increasing flying skills and interoperability.
The long-standing NATO Tiger Meet will see over 60 aircraft from eleven NATO nations, plus partners Austria and Switzerland, come together in a demonstration of capabilities at the home of Tactical Air Wing 51 in Northern Germany. Some nations will fly their jets from their respective home bases, while others will participate as visitors and observers.
A NATO Airborne Warning and Control System E-3A plane will also participate, operating out of Geilenkirchen, Germany, to control Tiger jets during their training missions.
An Italian Air Force Eurofighter from the 12th Wing at Gioia del Colle touched down at Schleswig Air Base for the 2024 NATO Tiger Meet. A Turkish Air Force F-16 from 192 Filo at Balikesir arrived on May 31, ready to train alongside other Tiger squadrons for the next two weeks. The French Navy’s Flottille 11F “les furieux” will also be represented by a Rafale detachment from Landivisiau Naval Air Base. Additionally, a Czech Air Force JAS-39 Gripen, featuring a special Tiger edition, will participate, showcasing its capabilities.
“One of the most important exercises at the tactical level for NATO and Partner air forces, the Meet provides a unique opportunity for participants to improve tactics, techniques, and procedures with challenging scenarios in a highly sophisticated multinational and joint training environment,” according to the press release.
The exercise, organised annually by the NATO Tiger Association since 1960, will see Germany host the event for the twelfth time and the third time from Schleswig Air Base.
Sadly the RAF doesn’t appear to have a Tiger Squadron these day. No.74 Squadron was the RAF’s Tiger Squadron from 1917 to 2000.
Shame the unit didn’t make it’s 100th birthday…
Cheers CR
Agreed, but don’t forget 230 Sqn, I think they are still around on the Puma? Also, one of the FAA Merlin HM2 Squadrons is a Tiger (unless they too have disbanded)
I thought No 33 Sqn, or was it 230 Sqn are Tiger.
One of those Sqns has pretty much folded according to a post from SB1 here months ago.
Funny how the “Peace dividend” failed to prepare us for war.
Probably a money saving measure: disband the squadron then it won’t be able to attend the meets thus reducing costs. Or maybe I’m being cynical . . .
74 SQN Phantoms ,my favourite long gone 🇬🇧
What is a tiger squadron?
Love this event seeing aircraft with fantastic paint styles.
I’ve looked it up and they seem to be any NATO squadron that includes a Tiger in their insignia. Once a year they do a big meet up at a NATO airbase and paint their aircraft in tiger stripes with tiger tail flashes and nose art in the interests of air force cooperation and interoperation.
And also because it looks unbelievably cool.
I know 230SQD was at the meetings up to 2009 from RAF Aldergrove before they moved back to England. We have Puma 222 in our museum in Belfast with the Tiger 🐯 on the front and I have a picture of the Puma in full Tiger Stripes from the 2005 Tiger Meeting.
230Sqn is a Tiger Sqn as they hosted the tiger meet at RAF Aldergrove in early 2000’s if memory serves me correct, if not it was late 90’s. They are still flying the Puma based out of RAF Benson.
230 Sqn is a tiger Sqn and is very much operational but not at Benson. There seems to be a lot of hear say and conjecture, with little to no fact or knowledge within the comments section. Please chaps, do better.