Air arms and supporting forces from seven countries will participate in the largest air exercise to be held in Australia, Exercise Pitch Black from August 1.
The action will be centred on RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern territory, and will include elements from Australia, the US, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, the UAE, and French Armed Forces in New Caledonia.
“The Northern Territory is ideally placed for exercise participants to bring together aircraft to conduct operations that feature a range of realistic and simulated threats found in the modern battlespace environment,” the outgoing Air Commander Australia, AVM Hupfeld said in a statement. “Conducting Exercise Pitch Black 14 is a massive undertaking, not just for aircrews and maintainers but also for the planning that is involved.”
Aircraft observers can expect to see will include F/A-18 classic and Super Hornets, E-7A Wedgetail, C-130J, C-17A, AP-3C, King Air and KC-30A of the RAAF; as well as visiting JAS-39A/B Gripens from Thailand; F-15SG, F-16C/D, KC-135 and G550AEW&C from Singapore; Mirage 2000-9 from the UAE; CN-235 from New Caledonia; and F-16C/D and B-52H of the USAF.
