Portugal hosts the famous NATO “Tiger” squadron gathering in Beja from September 21 to October 3.
The Portuguese Air Force has unveiled the F-16AM Fighting Falcon featuring a special, vibrant paint scheme to mark the 2025 edition of the NATO Tiger Meet. This year, in addition to participating, the country is also hosting the event, which takes place at Beja Air Base between September 21 and October 3.
The aircraft was prepared by the 301st Squadron, known as the “Jaguars.” The design is a true work of art: the upper fuselage and wings feature the face of a tiger, while the underside is decorated with stripes resembling the animal.
The scheme stands out in sharp contrast to the traditional grey camouflage of the F-16, reinforcing the symbolic identity of the Portuguese unit.
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A traditional NATO event
Over the decades, the Tiger Meet has established itself as the “calling card” of NATO’s fighter aviation. Each year, squadrons from member nations present exclusive paint schemes on their aircraft, in an informal competition to determine which design is the most impressive.
The exercise began in 1961, when the U.S. Air Force’s 79th Squadron invited the RAF’s 74th Squadron (United Kingdom) and the French Air Force’s 1/12 Squadron to a gathering in Woodbridge. At the time, all of them bore emblems featuring the image of a tiger — a symbol that became the trademark of the event. Since then, the Tiger Meet has been held annually, bringing together only squadrons whose emblem includes a tiger.
With more than 60 years of tradition, the gathering is considered one of NATO’s most renowned and colorful exercises, serving both as operational training and as a symbolic showcase for allied combat aviation.
Source and images: Portuguese Air Force | x @fap_pt. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
