IAF begins Exercise Pitch Black 2026 at RAAF Base Darwin
The Indian Air Force (IAF) starts Exercise Pitch Black 2026 on Monday at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Darwin. Scheduled from July 20 to August 7, Exercise Pitch Black is the RAAF’s premier biennial multinational air combat exercise, defence ministry said here on Sunday.
The exercise derives its name from its emphasis on night flying over the vast, unpopulated areas of northern Australia. In the exercise’s 45-year-long history, this edition features a large number of participating forces, bringing together military personnel for complex large force employment and multinational air combat operations.
The IAF contingent comprises highly skilled Air Warriors, including pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers and other subject-matter experts. The contingent will operate the Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, supported by the C-17 Globemaster-Ill and the IL-78 Air-to-Air Refuelling aircraft in combat support roles.
The exercise will provide the participating forces with a valuable opportunity to enhance interoperability, strengthen force integration and exchange operational best practices towards a collaborative conduct of operations in global scenarios.
Exercise Pitch Black 26 provides an excellent opportunity to validate expeditionary air operations over extended distances, enhance multinational interoperability and strengthen professional partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.
The exercise will enable participating air forces to operate in a realistic and challenging multinational environment, fostering greater operational synergy and mutual understanding. The IAF has previously participated in the 2018, 2022 and 2024 editions of the exercise, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening defence cooperation and regional security.
