5-9 October 2023 – Gioia del Colle Airbase
80 aircraft coming from 13 countries took part in the NATO Tiger Meet 2023. The exercise (one of the largest in Europe) has been held since 2 to the 13 October on the “Antonio Ramirez” airport of Gioia del Colle (Bari), in the south of Italy, headquarters of the 36th Wing of the Air Force.
Il Tiger Meet, that every year since 1960 brings together the Flight Groups of the various Armed Forces whose coat of arms features a "tiger", from 1973 it turned into the event we see today. That year, in Italy, on Cameri airport (Novara), the first meeting took place and since then, rotary, the various participants hosted the exercise. Always in Cameri, the editions of the took place 1980 he was born in 1988 (see the report from back then which) and, since, they had to wait 35 years to see a Tiger Meet in Italy again.
This year they have been involved approximately 80 aircraft, coming from 13 different nations
- 31 Smd (BAF), Kleine Brogel AB, F-16A/B MLU Fighting Falcon
- 21° Gruppo (ItAF), Grazzanise AB, HH-101 Caesar
- 335 Mira (HAF), Araxos AB , F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
- Esq 301 (POAF), BA5 Monte Real, F-16A/B MLU Fighting Falcon
- 192 Filo (TuAF), Balikesir AB, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
- Squadron 11 (ChAF), Meiringen AB, F/A-18C/D Hornet
- ECE 1/30 (FAF), BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan, Rafale B/C and Mirage 2000D
- 211 TL (CzAF), Čáslav AB, JAS-39C/D Gripen
- TaktLwG 51 (GAF), Schleswig AB, Tornado IDS & ECR
- 1 AEW&C (NATO), Geilenkirchen MOB, E-3A Sentry (on the FOB of Trapani)
- 12° Gruppo (ItAF), Gioia Del Colle AB, EF-2000 Eurofighter
- 59/1 Sqn (HuAF), Kecskemét AB, JAS-39C/D Gripen
- 6 ELT (PolAF), Poznań-Krzesiny AB, F-16C/D Fighting Falcon
- TaktLwG 74 (GAF), Neuburg AB, EF-2000 Eurofighter
- EHRA 3 (TOOL), BA Etain-Rouvres, SA-342M Gazelle and EC665 Tiger
- Squadron (AAF), Zeltweg AB, EF-2000 Eurofighter
External Participants
- 4F (FN), BAN Lorient, E-2C Hawkeye
- GFD (CIVIL), Hohn AB, Learjet
- 202° Gruppo (ItAF), Guidonia AB, SIAI Marchetti S208M
- 814 NAS (RN), RNAS Culdrose (observers only)
- HävLLv 31 (FiAF), Kuopio/Rissala (observers only)
The variety of participating aircraft allowed a very large number of missions to be carried out.
The flight activity was mainly structured in two waves daily: a main wave early morning, in which all assets participated in a complex COMAO mission (Composite Air Operation), it's a shadow wave afternoon, where participants could carry out complementary missions, including Electronic Warfare (EW), Basic Fighter Manoeuvring (BFM), Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) e Slow Mover Interceptor (SMI).
These activities affected the airspace of Puglia, Calabria and Basilicata and the Sibari airfields, Pisticci and Crotone, and had the aim of perfecting the interoperability of assets in defense and air interdiction missions, to support troops on the ground (Close Air Support – CAS) or search and rescue of personnel in a hostile environment (Personnel Recovery – PR). In this context, the "Tiger Meet" is a further opportunity to compete at a multinational level also for flight groups that do not usually participate in this type of training, which in jargon is called Large Force Employment (LFE). To this end all participants, as far as possible, they always try to bring some two-seater example of the supplied aircraft, to be able to take on board pilots from other nations and thus be able to show their way of conducting assigned missions and how to better integrate during joint missions.
One of the most beautiful and interesting traditions for enthusiasts, is to repaint at least one aircraft per nation with motifs that recall belonging to a Tiger Squadron. Here is the reason for these bright colors which contrast with the low visibility gray prevailing in today's camouflage patterns. This year the Turks particularly stood out, Germans and Austrians, but all participants exhibited very bright Special Colors. The Tiger Meet is also an opportunity to strengthen the spirit of belonging to NATO, involving all participants (this year further 1300 people) in a playful spirit that is difficult to find in other Alliance exercises.
This year the Tiger Meet, despite having been scheduled in a period that, meteorologically speaking, it might not have been very favorable, it was accompanied by truly fantastic weather conditions, with clear skies and temperatures above 30°. This also favored the enthusiasts who flocked to Spotter Day 6 October and the Open Day on the 8th. Furthermore, many spotters crowded the fields around the airport to capture movements departing and arriving at the airport.
A grand Elephant Walk was also organized on Spotter Day, with over 40 aircraft with engines running lined up on the runway, which well summarized the power deployed on the Apulian airport in this exercise.
In the end the Silver Trophy for the most beautiful livery is gone (deservedly) al Bavarian Tiger tedesco, the brindle Typhoon of the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 74 in Neuburg.
The appointment is therefore for 2024, based in Schleswig/Jagel, in Germania.
All that remains is to say goodbye with the most heard scream these days: "TIGER, TIGER, TIGER!!!”
Enjoy photos
