IRIA News

More than 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft from 17 countries are participating in the multinational biennial Exercise Pitch Black 2022.

The exercise is being conducted over Australia’s Northern Territory primarily at RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal, and RAAF Base Amberley, located near Ipswich. Exercise Pitch Black is a large-scale Australian-led three weeks long multi-national exercise spanning from August 19 to September 8, 2022.

According to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), “Exercise Pitch Black 2022 is the Royal Australian Air Force’s most significant International Engagement activity with forces participating from a wide range of partner and allied nations developing and enhancing military relationships at all levels.” The exercise recognizes Australia’s strong relationships with a focus on regional security and fostering closer ties throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Exercise Pitch Black features a range of realistic, simulated threats which can be found in a modern battle-space environment and is an opportunity for the participating countries to experiment and improve air force integration by utilizing one of the largest training airspace areas in the world.

The exercise also aims to further develop offensive counter-air, air interdiction and strike, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance capabilities, and foster international cooperation with partner forces, according to the Australian Department of Defence.

Countries taking part in Exercise Pitch Black

More than 2500 Air Force personnel from Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the UK, the Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the U.S. are participating in the Pitch Black exercise. This is the first time Germany, Japan, and South Korea are participating fully in the Pitch Black exercise.

The U.S. Air Force and Armed Forces have deployed some 150 fighter squadrons personnel and 60 members from the support units at the exercise Pitch Black along with F-35S jets. The U.S.-made F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter is also making its debut at the exercise.

Australian Air Force has sent its conventional take-off and landing F-35A variants, while Australian Marines Forces are participating in the exercise with 12 F-35B Short Take Off and Vertical Landing aircraft.

The Japanese Air Defense Forces are participating in the exercise with their Mitsubishi F-2s, while the South Korean Air Force has deployed eight Lockheed-Martin KF-16 Fighting Falcons aircraft.

Germany is joining the exercise for the first time and sent its fleet of six Eurofighter jets to the Indo-Pacific regions for the first time. The six German Eurofighter jets painted with the flags of Germany, Singapore, Australia, and South Korea took from the Neuburg Air Base and reached Singapore within 24 hours, after having a pilot change in Abu Dhabi. The overnight delivery of the fighter jets from Germany to Singapore was Germany’s attempt to show that its Air Force is capable of reaching Asia within a day. “We want to demonstrate that we can be in Asia within a day,” said Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, the air service’s chief of staff.

During the drills, the German air force Eurofighters will practice air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks and defense while in larger formations with allied and partner fleets, according to the Luftwaffe.

With 17 different nations participating, this year’s exercise Pitch Black will feature the largest international contingent for the exercise yet since its beginning in 1981. 

Through Exercise Pitch Black 2022, the RAAF aims to demonstrate its commitment to building professionalism and enhancing military relationships for the safe and effective conduct of air operations with regional and partner nations.

“Exercise Pitch Black features a range of realistic, simulated threats which can be found in a modern battle-space environment and is an opportunity to test and improve our force integration, utilizing one of the largest training airspace areas in the world — Bradshaw Field Training Area and Delamere Air Weapons Range,” according to RAAF.