Exercise Pitch Black 24 to be the ‘biggest’ yet, with Italian navy aircraft carriers joining the fray

As fighter jets gear up for the biggest flying activity in air force history, a European aircraft carrier will be pulling into Darwin. See when the activity starts.

Italian aircraft carrier, the Cavour, will be coming to Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black 24. Picture: Italian navy.

As aircraft activity booms across the Top End, an Italian aircraft carrier is en route to join the mammoth military exercise which commences in the coming weeks.

Considered to be the biggest Exercise Pitch Black in air force history, more than 140 aircraft and 4400 personnel across 20 nations have joined the biennial flying activity.

Exercise Pitch Black 24 will run from July 12 to August 2, this year.

Of particular interest, the Italian Navy’s massive aircraft carrier, the Cavour, will call Darwin home for the month, making it the first aircraft carrier to participate in the exercise’s history.

The Cavour sails to Darwin from the Red Sea, after departing the Mediterranean in June.

Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning ll aircraft from No. 75 Squadron participate in an Elephant Walk on the RAAF Base Tindal flight line for Exercise Pitch Black 2022. Picture: Defence Imagery / LACW Annika Smit

Air Commodore Peter Robinson, who will lead the activity, said the size of latest Pitch Black exercise would “go beyond” its predecessors.

“The size of this exercise will enable co-operation that will go beyond what was possible at any previous Pitch Black, from engaging with our immediate regional partners through to welcoming allies and partners from around the globe,” he said.

“For all participants in Exercise Pitch Black, it will be an opportunity to share a breadth of experience, understand one another better, and demonstrate our shared value of sustaining peace and stability across the region.”

Pubs across Howard Springs are expected to experience big business, with Air Commodore Robinson confirming thousands of personnel would be stationed in the area.

“We’ll use Defence Accommodation Precinct Darwin at Howard Springs for the first time, housing thousands of Australian and multinational participants throughout the exercise.”

The sun setting behind two Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets in the Ordnance Loading Area at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory. Picture: Supplied.

Aircraft from Italy, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Spain will be making their Pitch Black debuts, while personnel from Brunei and Fiji have also been invited to participate.

Between RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal, in Katherine, F-35a Lightning II stealth aircraft and F/A-18E Super Hornets are will be conducting missions above the heads of Territorians, with night time activities also scheduled to take place.

For enthusiastic plane spotters, a fly-by of the Mindil Beach Markets will also occur on Thursday 18 July.