An IAF contingent reached Australia to participate in the prestigious three-week-long ‘Pitch Black’ air exercises that commenced on Friday. More than 2,500 military personnel from 17 countries and 100 aircraft will carry out the drills. India had taken part in the biennial event in 2018 there. Giving details of the schedule, IAF officials said here on Friday that the Indian contingent has reached Australia for taking part in the exercise from August 19 to September 8 in Darwin.
Pitch Black will focus on Large Force Employment warfare. The IAF contingent, led by Group Captain YPS Negi, comprises over 100 air warriors, deployed with four Su-30 MKI fighter and two C-17 aircraft. They will undertake multi-domain air combat missions in a complex environment and will exchange best practices with the participating air forces.
Australia is hosting the exercise after a gap of four years. The 2020 drills were called off due to the corona pandemic. The upcoming exercise will see the participation of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, the UK, and the US. This year’s exercise will be held in the Northern Territory, Australian Defence Ministry had recently said.
“With a four-year hiatus since the last Pitch Black due to the global pandemic, this year’s exercise will see a return of the combined force to Australian skies, enhancing interoperability and strengthening relationships,” it said.