Polish F-16 fighter jets and their pilots participate in the NATO Tiger Meet 2021 military exercise in Portugal — an exercise whose goal is to boost integration, cooperation and the level of training of the participating forces, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported quoting Poland’s Defence Ministry.

Concluding on Friday, the two-week exercise at the Beja Base in Portugal, brought together the air forces of Greece, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and Italy. The aircraft used in the exercise were Eurofighter, F-16, F-18, and HH-212 and HH-101 choppers.

Poland’s forces were represented by the F-16 jet fighters from the 31st Tactical Aviation Base in Krzesiny near the western Polish city of Poznań.

Organised since 1961, Tiger Meet is a military exercise that brings together NATO members’ squadrons distinguished by a tiger emblem. The 6th Polish Tactical Aviation Squadron has been participating in the exercise ever since 2011. Cyclic meetings and joint exercise are designed to tighten bonds of friendship between the personnel of the tiger squadrons. The exercises are also a test for the pilots, the security personnel ensuring the safety of the aircraft, transportation of people and equipment.

Tiger Meet is this year’s largest NATO airborne exercise. The concluding edition was planned for 2020, however, it was postponed due to the pandemic. A prospective special meeting envisaging the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of NATO Tiger Association is to take place in October at the Kleine Brogel Base in Belgium.