Exercise Pitch Black draws to a close

Exercise Pitch Black 2012, Australia’s biennial air combat training activity has concluded after three weeks of offensive counter air and offensive air support operations that included large formations of multi-national aircraft over Northern Territory skies.

The exercise was the result of months of successful work by participating nation’s including Australia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, Indonesia and New Zealand.

Air Commander Australia, Air Vice-Marshal Mel Hupfeld, said all involved gained valuable experience from participating in a high tempo, multi-national air operations environment.

“The first time inclusion of the RAAF Super Hornet, Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft contributed to a more complex undertaking this year,” Air Vice-Marshall Hupfeld said.

Pitch Black 2012 was also the first time Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Sukhoi SU 27 and SU 30 Flanker aircraft, Singaporean F15 Strike Eagles and G550 Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft participated.

Their involvement provided greater air combat interoperability opportunities with unique aircraft types.

Pitch Black is scheduled to occur again in mid 2014.