Officially Licensed USMC VMM-262 Flying Tigers (REIN) Black/Gray Patch — Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced) Embroidered Patch
The Flying Tigers in tactical gray—VMM-262 (REIN), the Marine Corps' only permanently forward-deployed tiltrotor squadron, rendered in a subdued black and gray colorway for flight suits and tactical gear.
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (VMM-262), the "Flying Tigers," is the only permanently forward-deployed medium tiltrotor squadron in the United States Marine Corps, based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, under Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. The Flying Tigers operate the MV-22B Osprey and serve as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit—the only permanently forward-deployed MEU in the Marine Corps.
The "(REIN)" designation indicates VMM-262 Reinforced, meaning the squadron deploys with additional aviation assets attached from heavy helicopter, light attack, attack, and unmanned aerial vehicle squadrons, creating the complete Aviation Combat Element that gives the 31st MEU commander a full spectrum of aviation capabilities. This black and gray subdued version of the Flying Tigers patch provides a low-visibility option suitable for flight suits, tactical gear, and deployment kits where the standard full-color patch would be too conspicuous.
VMM-262's permanent forward deployment in Okinawa places the Flying Tigers at the strategic crossroads of the Western Pacific, within rapid response range of potential crisis areas from the Korean Peninsula to the South China Sea to the Philippine Sea. The squadron conducts regular training exercises with allied nations including Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the Philippines, and has participated in numerous humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations across the Indo-Pacific, including typhoon relief in the Philippines and earthquake response missions throughout the region.
Perfect For: VMM-262 Flying Tigers members and veterans, 31st MEU ACE personnel, MAG-36 and 1st MAW service members, MCAS Futenma Marines, MV-22 Osprey community members, and subdued tactical patch collectors.
The Flying Tigers of VMM-262—forward-deployed, always ready, prowling the Pacific in tactical gray as America's first-response tiltrotor squadron in the Indo-Pacific.
