Exercise Pitch Black Takes Off

6 June – International Air Force participants have taken to the skies above the Northern Territory for air combat training scenarios as part of Exercise Pitch Black. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is hosting an array of international Air Force participants for Exercise Pitch Black which concludes on Friday, 27 June.

Pitch Black is a regular RAAF exercise held every two years in the Northern Territory.

Up to 3000 service men and women from Australia and countries including the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and France support the exercise, with ground crews and aircrews operating some of the most sophisticated military systems employed in the world.

An additional 60 aircraft from the RAAF and participating Forces will deploy to RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine.  Fighter, strike, early warning, air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft will combine with selected surface forces and systems to simulate and evaluate operational planning and tactics in war-like conditions.

Visitors are invited to meet aircraft and personnel involved in the Exercise at an Open day at RAAF Base Darwin on Saturday, 14 June between 10.00am and 2.00pm. 

Significantly, this year’s Pitch Black includes forces from NATO and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The Exercise makes use of the Joint and Combined Training Centre interweaving simulated assets into the live missions.  Pitch Black will also be the last major exercise for the Royal Australian Air Force Boeing 707 refuelling aircraft, with its impending retirement from service during 2008.

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