NATO Tiger Association

A Super Étendard of the Flottille 11F of the French Navy during a 'Tiger Meet' in 2007

A Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter of 336 squadron, Royal Norwegian Air Force during a 'Tiger Meet' in 2007. Tiger Meet aircraft are often painted in 'Tiger stripes'

A Nord 262E N°51 of the flotille 28F, French Navy, based at Nîmes, at a 'Tiger Meet' in 2008

A German Eurofighter Typhoon of Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 at the 'Tiger Meet' in 2014

A Czech Mil Mi-24 "Alien Tiger" of the 221st Helicopter Squadron at the 'Tiger Meet' in 2016

Tail fin of a Swiss Air Force Fliegerstaffel 11 F/A-18C Hornet

The NATO Tiger Association or the Association of Tiger Squadrons was established in 1961. Promoted by French Defence minister Pierre Messmer, its role is to promote solidarity between NATO air forces. It is not, though, part of the formal NATO structure.

The USAFE (United States Air Force Europe) 79th TFS (Tactical Fighter Squadron) took the initiative and on 19 July 1961 they invited No. 74 Squadron RAF and EC (Fighter Squadron) 1/12 Provence of the French Armée de l'air to Woodbridge in England. France was then a full military member of NATO.

As of May 2016, the squadrons included in the Association are 24 full members, 10 honorary members, and 7 disbanded members, all of which have a tiger as part of its squadron crest. As well as being opportunities for NATO air forces to share ideas and experiences, the ‘Tiger Meets’ are also public relations exercises for NATO. NATO aircraft are often brightly painted with tiger stripes.

Members

The following 24 squadrons are full members of the association.

• Austrian Air Force
  • 1 Jet Training Squadron
• Belgian Air Force
  • 31 Smaldeel
• Czech Air Force
  • 211. taktická letka (211th Tactical Squadron)
  • 221. vrtulníková letka (221st Helicopter Squadron)
• French Air Force
  • Escadron de Chasse et d'Expérimentation 05/330
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/7 "Provence"
• French Navy
  • Flottille 11F
• German Air Force
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51 "Immelmann"
  • Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 "Bavarian Tigers"
• Hellenic Air Force
  • 335 Squadron "Tigers"
• Hungarian Air Force
  • 59/1 Squadron
• Italian Air Force
  • XII Gruppo
  • 21 Gruppo (387th and 388th Flights)
• NATO (NATO Airborne Early Warning Force)
  • Squadron 1
• Royal Netherlands Air Force
  • 313 Squadron
• Royal Norwegian Air Force
  • 338 Skvadron
• Polish Air Force
  • 6 Squadron
• Portuguese Air Force
  • Esquadra 301 "Jaguares"
• Swiss Air Force
  • Fliegerstaffel 11
• Spanish Air Force
  • 142 Escuadrón
  • Ala 15
• Turkish Air Force
  • 192 Filo
• Royal Air Force
  • 230 Squadron
• Royal Navy
  • 814 Naval Air Squadron

Honorary members

• Royal Canadian Air Force
  • 439 CSS
• Indian Air Force
  • 1 Squadron
• Slovak Air Force
  • 1 Lt (Bojova letka)
• United States Air Force
  • 37th Bomb Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 79th Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 120th Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 391st Fighter Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 393rd Bomb Squadron
• United States Air Force Reserve
  • 141st Air Refueling Squadron
• United States Navy
  • VP-8

Probationary members

• none

Former members

The following squadrons were formerly members of the NATO Tiger Association until their disbanding by their respective organization.

• German Air Force
  • Aufklärungsgeschwader 52
  • Jagdbombergeschwader 32 (disbanded March 2013)
  • Jagdbomberstaffel 431
• French Air Force
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/12
• Royal Norwegian Air Force
  • 336 Squadron
• Royal Air Force
  • 74 (F) Squadron
• United States Air Force
  • 53rd Fighter Squadron

Tiger Meets

The most publicly visible aspect of the NATO Tiger Association are the annual Tiger Meets, during which member squadrons gather for exercises, conferences, and public relations.

Event	Dates	Location	Host	Silver Tiger	Units	Ref
NTM-1961	19–20 July	Woodbridge	79 TFS		3	[1]
NTM-1962	22–25 August	Woodbridge	79 TFS		8	[2]
NTM-1963	27–30 August	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel		8	[3]
NTM-1964	9–15 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12		8	[4]
NTM-1965	14–18 August	Bitburg	53 TFS		8	[5]
NTM-1966	5–9 July	Leuchars	74 (F) Sqn		8	[6]
NTM-1967	29 May – 2 June	Leck	AG 52		7	[7]
NTM-1968	16–20 August	Lahr	439 TFS		8	[8]
NTM-1969	4–8 July	Woodbridge	79 TFS		8	[9]
NTM-1970	6–11 June	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel		8	[10]
NTM-1971	14–21 June	Upper Heyford	Jagdbomberstaffel 431		9	[11]
NTM-1972	12–19 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12		9	[12]
NTM-1973	16–22 June	Cameri	21 Gruppo		10	[13]
NTM-1974	25 June – 1 July	Bitburg	53 TFS		9	[14]
NTM-1975	3–9 August	Leck	AG 52		9	[15]
NTM-1976	31 May – 4 June	Baden-Soellingen	439 TFS		9	[16]
NTM-1977	22–28 June	RAF Greenham Common	79 TFS	439 TFS	11	[17]
NTM-1978	19–26 June	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	31 Smaldeel	13	[18]
NTM-1979	18–25 June	BA Cambrai	EC 1/12	439 TFS	13	[19]
NTM-1980	9–16 June	Cameri	21 Gruppo	Esq 301	14	[20]
NTM-1981	12–15 June	Bitburg	53 TFS	439 TFS	8	[21]
NTM-1982	26–30 August	Gütersloh	203 Sqn	Fliegerstaffel 11	12	[22]
NTM-1983	10–16 June	Baden-Soellingen	439 TFS	JaboSt 431		[23]
NTM-1984	13–20 August	Leck	AG 52	31 Smaldeel	13	[24]
NTM-1985	1–8 July	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	Esq 301	13	[25]
NTM-1986	8–16 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12	53 TFS	18	[26]
NTM-1987	23–30 June	Montijo	Esq 301	JaboSt 431	18	[27]
NTM-1988	5–12 July	Cameri	21 Gruppo	74 (F) Sqn	14	[28]
NTM-1990	12–17 August	Upper Heyford	79 TFS	79 TFS	13	[29]
NTM-1991	17–21 July	Fairford	International Air Tattoo	53 TFS	16	[30]
NTM-1992	14–22 May	Albacete	142 Esc	EC 1/12	15	[31]
NTM-1993	8–13 August	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	79 TFS	10	[32]
NTM-1994	3–10 May	Cambrai	EC 1/12	31 Smaldeel	19	[33]
NTM-1996	21–29 May	Beja	Esq 301	31 Smaldeel	15	[34]
NTM-1997	16–21 July	Fairford	International Air Tattoo	31 Smaldeel	24	[35]
NTM-1998	15–26 June	Lecheld	JaboSt 321	21 Gruppo	18	[36]
NTM-2001	18–24 June	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	EC 1/12	18	[37]
NTM-2002	28 June – 9 July	Beja	Esq 301	221 LtBVr		[38]
NTM-2003	2–8 June	Cambrai	EC 1/12	31 Smaldeel	13	[39]
NTM-2004	30 August – 6 September	Schleswig-Jagel	TLG 51	JaboSt 321		[40]
NTM-2005	2–9 May	Balikesir	192 Filo	230 Sqn	11	[41]
NTM-2006	25 September – 2 October	Albacete	142 Esc	EC 1/12	13	[42]
NTM-2007	23 September – 1 October	Ørland	338 Skv	31 Smaldeel	18	[43]
NTM-2008	22 June – 29 June	Landivisiau	Flottille 11F	Fliegerstaffel 11	19	[44]
NTM-2009	14–25 September	Kleine Brogel	31 Smaldeel	EC 1/12	18	[45]
NTM-2010	4–15 October	Volkel	313 Sqn.	211th Sqn	18	[46]
NTM-2011	9–20 May	Cambrai	EC 1/12	Esq 301	19	[47]
NTM-2012	29 May – 8 June	Ørland	338 Skv	31 Smaldeel	17	[48]
NTM-2013	17–28 June	Ørland	338 Skv	TLG 51		[49]
NTM-2014	16–27 June	Schleswig-Jagel	TLG 51	Fliegerstaffel 11		[50]
NTM-2015	4–16 May	Konya	192 Filo	21 Gruppo		[51]
NTM-2016	16–27 May	Zaragoza	Ala 15	31 Smaldeel	19	[52]

Bibliography

• Heuvel, Coen van den & Tuyn, Jac van. Tiger Meet, the 25th Anniversary 'NATO' Tiger Meet, Osprey, 1986, 978-0-8504-5703-2.

External links

• NATO Tiger Association website