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Photo Report : NATO Tiger Meet 2015

NATO Tiger Meet 2015 Turkey

Photo report by Giovanni Mattioli of the NATO Tiger Meet hosted by Turkey at Konya Air Base in May 2015.

The 55th NATO Tiger Meet of 2015 was organized by the Turkish Air Force’s 192 nci Filo, member of the NATO Tiger Association since 1980. The 192nd Tiger Squadron has been flying the F-16C/D Block 50 Fighting Falcon since 1992. Although the squadron is based at Balikesir, the Tiger Meet 2015 was hosted at the Anatolian Eagle Training Center at Konya Air Base from May 4 to 16.

Of the 23 full members of the NATO Tiger Association, seven squadrons participated in the NTM15 flying exercise. The 192 Filo deployed to Konya AB with eight F-16C/Ds. Both a single-seat F-16C as well as a two-seat F-16D carried special tiger paint schemes. The other six squadrons came from Poland, France, Switzerland, Italy, and the NATO AEW&C Flight.

Tiger SquadronFromAircraft
192 nci FiloBalikesir, TurkeyF-16C/D Block 40/50 (x8)
6.ELT Poznan, PolandF-16C/D Block 52 (x6)
EC 1/7 Saint-Dizier, FranceRafale B/C (x4)
ECE 5/330 Mont-de-Marsan, France using EC 1/7 aircraft
21° GruppoGrazzanise, Italy AB.212 (x2)
1 AEW&CS Geilenkirchen, Germany E-3A (x2)

Additionally staff of the Hellenic Air Force 335 Mira from Araxos joined as observer. For the Combined Air Operations (COMAO) missions a Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) KDC-10 was also deployed to provide tanker support. The Konya-based 132 Filo provided the opposing Red Air in the form of up to eight of its F-16C/D Fighting Falcons.

The first week included four exercise days with two COMAO missions per day, Thursday and Friday coinciding with the spotters’ days, unfortunately on Friday the afternoon mission was cancelled because of the weather. During the weekend some visitors from other Tiger Association members attended the meet, noteworthy was 12° Gruppo from Gioia del Colle arriving with two Typhoons. The second week had another seven COMAO missions planned until the ending ceremony on Thursday.

The NATO Tiger Meet 2016 will hosted by the Spanish Air Force’s 15 Ala at Base Aérea de Zaragoza.

The NATO Tiger Meet 2015 was hosted by 192 Filo at Konya Air Base, Turkey.
NTM15 tiger tail art by 192 Filo on the F-16D Block 50 two-seat Fighting Falcon
The NTM15 192 Tigers F-16D special tiger scheme.
The F-16C Block 50 Tiger special of 192 Filo was rewarded the Best Painted Tiger Aircraft trophy
The Polish Air Force 6.ELT F-16C Block 52+ with subtile tiger stripes
Typical
The French Air Force EC 1/7 came up with this green 'Monster Tiger' artwork for Rafale C 113-IX to represent its Tiger Escadrille SPA 162
The Swiss Air Force's Staffel 11 F-18C Hornet with its Tiger tailart, also seen previously
F-16C Block 30 landing at Konya Air Base, the location of the Anatolian Eagle Training Center
F-16 Solo Türk demo opened the spottersday for the Tiger Meet
F-16 Solo Türk performance in a F-16C Block 30
F-16 Solo Türk afterburner shot
Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 T-264 provided the Tigers with in-flight refueling
Resident 131 Filo operates the Boeing 737-based E-7T AEW&C Peace Eagle
Visiting 111 Filo Panther squadron F-4E-2020 Terminator 73-1021...
... joined by F-4E-2020 Terminator 73-1046
CN235M transport from the resident 135 Filo, still carrying the 2011 Turkish Air Force's 100th Anniversary logo
Polish Air Force 6.ELT attending with six F-16C/D Block 52+ Fighting Falcons, among them 4054
Fortunately this F-16C-52 4060 with patterned conformal fuel tank wasn't the Polish tiger special
Another one of the Polish F-16C-52 Falcons pictured against the anatolian landscape
F-16C Block 40 89-0040 in regular colours and 192 Filo Tiger tail insignia
Rafale B 113-FN two-seater with the Escadron de Transformation Rafale 02.092 'Aquitaine' emblem
AdlA Rafale C 113-GY single-seater with the EC 1/7 'Provence' emblem
Swiss Air Force F-18D Hornet J-5234 with stickered Tiger tanks
Another shot of F-18D Hornet J-5234 when it took off
The FliegerStaffel 11 F-18C Hornet J-5011 with its tiger tails made a welcome return
Another look at the J-5011 tiger image
Swiss Air Force F-18C J-5019 carrying the tigerclaw artwork on its tanks.
132 Filo F-16C Block 50 93-0673 taking off to perform its role as Red Air
Rafale B 337 113-FN with escadrille I/25(2) emblem
Another F-16C Block 50 93-0664 from 132 Filo taking off, this aircraft came from 191 Filo and has yet to receive its new squadron insignia.
Another look at the trophy winning NTM15 paint scheme of 192 Filo.
The 192 Filo won the Best Painted Tiger Aircraft trophy.
192 Filo F-16C Block 40 89-0040 taking off
192 Filo F-16D Block 40 89-0043 taking off
Another shot of 89-0043, providing a better view of the tiger helmet worn by the backseater
Another Block 40 two-seater F-16D 91-0022 of 192 Filo following suit
AdlA EC 1/7 'Provence' Rafale C 113-IT, the unit won the Flying trophy.
Another 132 Filo aggressor taking off, this time F-16C Block 50 93-0687.
93-0672 also a Block 50 from 132 Filo following
In need of a respray, F-16C Block 50 94-0091 just seems older than the others from 132 Filo
Another look at Rafale B 113-FN back on the platform
Swiss Air Force F-18D Hornet returning fromt he mission.
Close-up of the pilots in the F-18D Hornet confirms it, Tiger onboard
Tigerclaw F-18C Hornet J-5019 back from the mission
192 Filo F-16D Tiger special with the green 'Monster Tiger' Rafale in the background
Italian Air Force 21° Gruppo AB.212 also acted as photo platform
111 Filo Panthers' F-4E-2020 Terminators parked on the ramp
The hosting 192 Filo F-16D two-seaters joined by the Polish 6.ELT F-16C Block 52+ Tigers
Turkish Air Force C-130E Hercules from 222 Filo
F-16D Tiger special on static display with open canopy for the photographers
192 Filo Mercedes Tiger special for NTM15, another NATO Tiger Association tradition carried on.
Italian Air Force AB.212 of 21° Gruppo with tiger markings
The 21° Gruppo flight and ground crews posing in front of their Tiger AB.212 helicopters.
Another shot of the contingent from 21° Gruppo
The 21° Gruppo AB.212 taking off from Konya Air Base
AB.212 9-52 of the 21° Gruppo, 9° Stormo
21° AB.212 duo gaining speed over Konya
132 Filo F-16C Block 50 93-0674 take off on Friday before the weather closed in
Participating NATO E-3A from Geilenkirchen, the 1 AEW&C Squadron is also full member of the NATO Tiger Association
Polish Air Force 6.ELT F-16C Block 52+ 4052 in light blue/grey tiger scheme pictured against the thunderstorm
Close up of the 6.ELT pilot wearing Tiger mask and Polish Air Force flag
F-16C 4056 had also been painted up in tiger c/s and was flown by a tiger...
Two more Polish F-16Cs 4040 and 4060 lined up against the dark sky
Close-up of the 6.ELT Tiger artwork on the F-16 tail
Close-up of the pilot and tiger mascot in the F-16C 4054
The pilot in F-16C 4060 added another Polish Air Force touch
Beautiful shot of the colourful 192 Filo F-16C Tiger Special against the dark clouds
Close-up of the Tiger tailart on the 'Best Painted Tiger Aircraft' of 2015


Report and photos by Giovanni Mattioli ( view portfolio )



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First Published: 23 July 2015
Last Modified: 23 July 2015

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