Largest Exercise Pitch Black 24 opens, RAAF welcome 20 countries

One of the world’s biggest flying activities has been officially opened in Darwin, with representatives from 20 nations present. See what flying activities have been arranged.

On Thursday, Exercise Pitch Black 24 officially opened at RAAF Base Darwin. Picture: Harry Brill.

Exercise Pitch Black 24 is officially under way, with more than 140 fighter jets taking to the Territory skies in the coming days.

On Thursday, senior commanders from 20 nations gathered at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Darwin to announce the commencement of one of the world’s biggest flying activities.

With a big, multinational team of pilots, commanders and aviators in the backdrop, Air Commodore Pete Robinson declared the biggest ever Pitch Black exercise had begun.

“Over the next three weeks, we have about 20 countries coming to both our bases here at Darwin, the base at Tindal near Katherine, the base at Amberley near Brisbane and we’ll also be working out of the base at Curtin near Derby (Western Australia),” he said.

“We’ll bring over 4000 people from those 20 countries and 140 of some of the highest technology air force aircraft that there is in the world.”

Filipino aviators will take part in Exercise Pitch Black 24. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Of the 20 participating nations, there are six nations on their Pitch Black debut – Philippines, Spain, Italy, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Brunei.

Air Commodore Robinson welcomed the newcomers and maintained they would have a unique experience over the coming weeks.

“There are things that you can get in Pitch Black that you just can’t get anywhere else in the world,” he said.

“The airspace we have in the Northern Territory is huge and so we’ll use that to our ability to put the amount of aircraft up into the airspace and what we can do in that airspace you just can’t do anywhere else in the world.”

COL Randy M Pascua PAF (GSC) and LTC Michael G Rabina PAF gets off their fighter jets as Filipino fighter pilots touch down in Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black 24. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

It was confirmed pilots would start the exercise with “simple” scenarios followed by “very complex” missions aimed to challenge participants.

“(We will) do integrated air and missile defence which is the way we defend a place,” Air Commodore Robinson said.

“And we (will) do strike operations which is the way we attack place.”

Pilots will also get the opportunity to operate on the red team, or as an “adversary” aircraft.

“It’s a huge exercise to bring together and our teams that have been planning this have been going for about two years.”

A new addition to Exercise Pitch Black is the Italian aircraft carrier the Cavour, which pulled into Darwin this week.

An aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Air Commodore Robinson said the carrier had impressive assets to bring to the activity.

“There are F-35s on that carrier and there’s AV-8B Harriers on that carrier along with the helicopters, but it just brings a new significance to the exercise where apart from our normal bases at Darwin and Tindal, we have the option of that floating base that is operating off the Top End as well.”

Commander of RAAF Base Darwin Wing Commander Lauren Guest said it was a “privilege” to host the mammoth activity and thanked the Top End community for their support.

“Territorians have been investing time and energy and resources to ensure that the base and local infrastructure is prepared and ready for such a big event.”