Hear them roar: the story of the NATO Tiger Association

It started in 1961 as a friendly and informal gathering of three squadrons with the same emblem. It has since grown into an association of around 30 squadrons from over 20 countries, with a legacy spanning six decades. The NATO Tiger Association (NTA) brings together squadrons from a diverse range of NATO member and partner countries – all of whom have adopted the tiger on their unit’s insignia. They gather in an annual large employment training known as a NATO Tiger Meet, which unites crews to fly and train together.

Tiger squadrons unite!

The NATO Tigers met for the first time in 1961, when three squadrons – No. 74 Squadron of the United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF), the United States Air Force (USAF) Europe 79th Squadron and the Escadron de chasse 1/12 Cambrésis of the French Air Force (now known as the French Air and Space Force) – came together at RAF Woodbridge military station in the United Kingdom. The three units gathered to exchange experiences between aircrews and to improve relationships among individual squadrons within NATO – which was vital to maintaining collective defence during the Cold War. This became the first NATO Tiger Meet.

Following this first meeting organised by the three original squadrons’ commanders, Captain Michael Dugan of the USAF’s 79th Squadron – who would later be named Chief of Staff of the US Air Force in 1990 – searched for other “tiger” squadrons in all the European and European-based NATO air forces. He identified five other units with that peculiarity and in 1962, the second Tiger Meet was organised, with eight squadrons participating. This second Tiger Meet officially shaped what would become the association’s annual gatherings for the years to come.

Crew members of the USAF 79th Squadron at the 1964 NATO Tiger Meet in Cambrai-Épinoy, France. Captain Mike Dugan (left) was one of the early promoters of the NTA, identifying tiger squadrons all over Europe during the sixties. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

Crew gathered at the 1965 NATO Tiger Meet in Bitburg, Germany. At the front, Antoine “Tiger Tony” Muls, one of the first pilots from the Belgian Air Force’s 31st Squadron to attend the Tiger meets and a loyal Tiger in subsequent gatherings. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

Throughout time, the association has undergone substantial growth and has included up to 35 full and probationary members. The participating squadrons have come from 16 NATO member countries, two NATO partner countries (Austria and Switzerland) and a single country that is not a NATO member or partner country but has been an honorary NTA member since 2003 (India).

For squadrons wanting to become part of the NATO Tigers, the organisation requires them to have an insignia of a tiger – or something related to it – and it must first come to a Tiger Meet as an observer. The following year, it may participate with its aircraft in the gathering and, in the third year, the member squadrons will vote on the admission of the candidate.

The primary decision body of the NTA is the Tiger Assembly. It consists of the commanders of all the member squadrons and is responsible for the management of the association.

Unleashing the Tiger Spirit with a roar

For the NATO Tigers, their shared symbol represents the strength, speed and hunting prowess of the association’s aviators. The participating units not only feature the tiger as part of their squadron’s crest – many maintain the decades-long tradition of painting tiger images and motifs on their jets, a custom encouraged by the NTA and first presented by the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 439th Squadron at the Tiger Meet in 1969, and some also decorate their pilot uniforms with tiger stripes.

Czech Lt. Col. Jaroslav Spacek (right) shakes hands with his Belgian Viper driver (left) after enjoying a high-speed back-seat ride – an extraordinary experience for someone accustomed to the airspeed of a Hind helicopter. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

This is all part of the “Tiger Spirit” that the NTA fosters. Even though the Tiger Association is not part of NATO’s formal structures, it helps to improve solidarity, camaraderie, interoperability and fighting spirit among the participating countries. Under the motto ‘It’s hard to be humble’, the Tigers roar loud and clear that they are proud to be members of an association that enables the squadrons to share expertise and strive for excellence in aviation.  

The two-seater aircraft custom is an example of the Tiger Spirit in practice. Each squadron always tries to bring at least one two-seater aircraft to the annual NATO Tiger Meet. During training exercises, the squadrons trade backseat rides and fly along with crew from different countries. This tradition fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual learning among the units – pilots gain first-hand experience with aircraft that they aren’t used to piloting and develop a broader perspective on air operations in other countries.

The eye of the tiger: NATO Tiger Meets

The annual NATO Tiger Meet (NTM) is the heart of the organisation. This meeting has evolved over the decades into a first-class military exercise lasting two weeks where participants fly combined missions involving multiple types of aircraft, including helicopters and NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Every year, around 1,000 ground crew and pilots gather at the air base of the selected host squadron. On average, the participating squadrons bring along around 60 aircraft and carry out around 650 sorties, amounting to a total of 1,000 flying hours.

From the beginnings of the Tiger Meets, detailed mission planning has formed a vital part of the gatherings. Left: crew planning the exercises to be carried out during a Tiger Meet in the 1960s. Right: air and ground crew during a briefing prior to an exercise at the 2002 NATO Tiger Meet in Beja, Portugal. (Photos by NATO Tiger Association)

The two-week-long gatherings begin with an opening ceremony where the participants’ flags are raised while their national anthems play. The host squadron’s commander makes a welcoming speech, and officially begins the Tiger Meet with a traditional call – “Tiger – Tiger – Tiger!” – to which the assembled squadrons respond: “ROAR!” Watch below the inaugural ceremony of the 2019 NATO Tiger Meet in Mont-de-Marsan, France.

Go get em’ tiger: multinational bonding at the Tiger Games

Outside of the military training activities and exercises, there are other Tiger Spirit-boosting social activities that are carried out towards the end of Tiger Meets: the Tiger Games. They consist of different sports competitions organised by the host squadron, such as archery, football or activities as creative as a human table-football game.

Other activities that enhance the community spirit include gift exchanges between squadrons and the international night, where each squadron shares the food, drinks and music of their native country.

At the end of the gatherings, prizes are presented for the best aircraft, best uniform and best operations. The Tiger Meet’s highest honour – the Silver Tiger Trophy – is awarded to the squadron that not only has excelled in overall performance during the exercises, but has also best embodied the Tiger Spirit. For over 60 years, the NATO Tigers have been nurturing this spirit of friendship and solidarity among air forces – and these tigers won’t change their stripes.

Tiger squadrons unite!

The Silver Tiger Trophy started at the 1977 NATO Tiger Meet in Greenham Common station, United Kingdom. It was gifted to the tiger community by the London silversmith Mappin & Webb on request of the director of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. It became a tradition to award it during the Tiger Meets and the winner would be able to keep it until the next edition of the gathering, as well as to add a silver tag with the date the unit had won it. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

The French Escadron de Chasse 1/12 Cambresis won the Silver Tiger during the 2009 NATO Tiger Meet at Kleine Brogel, Belgium. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

The Norwegian 338 Skvadron arrived at the 2003 NATO Tiger Meet in Cambrai-Épinoy, France in flight suits decorated with tiger stripes. Moreover, traditionally, squadrons bring special headgear on the first day of the meeting. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)

During the Tiger Meets, an international night is organised where participants get to know other member countries better through their traditional cuisine or music. (Photo by NATO Tiger Association)