The Panavia Tornado is a variable-sweep wing multirole combat aircraft, jointly developed and manufactured by Italy, the United Kingdom and West Germany. It's maiden flight was on 14 August 1974. It was operated by the RAF, Italian Air Force, and the Royal Saudi Air Force during the Gulf War of 1991. Tornados of various services were also used in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia during the Bosnian War and Kosovo War, the Iraq War, Libya during the Libyan civil war, as well as smaller roles in Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria. Total production was 992 aircraft built.

Each year, NATO squadrons hold a "Tiger Meet" with those squadrons whose unit insignia features a tiger. Many squadrons paint their participating aircraft in a special tiger-scheme and '46+44' was the representative aircraft from JBG-32, German Air Force in 2001.