Exercise Pitch Black 2024 ends, RAAF Commander reflects on the future
After three weeks of dogfighting and thunderous flyovers, Exercise Pitch Black 2024 is officially over. Read Air Commodore Pete Robinson’s predictions for the 2026 instalment.
Northern Territory
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Noise pollution will be plummeting across the Top End this weekend, with Exercise Pitch Black 2024 officially coming to a close, rounding off the largest flying activity in the exercise’s 43-year-long history.
On Friday, the tarmac at RAAF Base Darwin was quieter than usual, with dozens of fighter jets lined up along the hardstanding, ready to return to their respective home nations.
With a record 20 participating nations and a first-time Italian aircraft carrier contributing to the exercise, Air Commodore Pete Robinson said the intensive activity had provided commanders with plenty to consider.
“We always say every Pitch Black that we’re not going to make it bigger, but we’ll see how we go in 2026,” he said.
“I think we’ll probably need to utilise some other air bases because we’ve asked a lot of the Darwin community and we will probably lean more into maximising Tindal air base and Darwin air base for the next Pitch Black.”
Asked if each of the 20 nations would return for 2026, Air Commodore Robinson said he was confident they would at least be invited.
“It will be up to them whether they attend or not,” he said.
“But certainly for our European partners, and our first-time attendees, the strong intent is to maintain a presence in the Indo-Pacific as part of their particular foreign policies.”
With speculation mounting that a British or French aircraft carrier may deploy to the Top End in the near future, Air Commodore Robinson said he would “love” another seagoing air base to partake in the exercise.
“We would truly welcome any of our European partners bringing carriers down into the exercise or our US partners.”
Italian Navy Carrier Strike Group Commander Rear Admiral Giancarlo Ciappina told the NT News his sailors and pilots were “honoured” to have deployed to the Timor Sea and said he hoped it would be the start of many visits to come.
“It’s been a great experience for us, it was the very first time for the Carrier Group to be deployed into the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
“And hopefully we will be back.”
Rear Admiral Ciappina said he would inform his superiors in Rome that the long trip to Darwin was “worth it”.
“I will talk to my chain of command and advise them that Pitch Black is worth it.”
Air Commodore Robinson passed on his thanks to the Darwin community for their support throughout the thunderous month.
“The support from the Darwin community has been absolutely phenomenal,” he said.
“I wish you all the best coming up to elections and other stuff in the NT.”
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