Exercise Pitch Black

Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The exercise is normally held in Northern Australia, primarily at RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal. The aim of the exercise is to practice Offensive Counter Air and Defensive Counter Air combat, in a simulated war environment. It traditionally consists of a 'red team' and a 'blue team' based at separate locations, with one attacking the other.

International air forces with defence ties to Australia are invited, which normally consist of France's Armée de l'Air; the Royal Malaysian Air Force, the Republic of Singapore Air Force; the Royal Thai Air Force; the Royal New Zealand Air Force; the United States Air Force; and Britain's Royal Air Force; while the 2012 Pitch Black saw participation by the Indonesian Air Force for the first time.[1] Countries unable to participate are able to send observers.

Although the 2000, 2004 and 2006 exercises were held in the Northern Territory, the 2002 exercise was scaled down and held at RAAF Bases Amberley and Williamtown, on the Australian east coast. In the 2006 exercise, RAAF Base Curtin (a bare base) was stood up to join Darwin as a second Offensive Counter Air base. RAAF General Dynamics F-111s were the only aircraft based there. RAAF Base Glenbrook (near Sydney) is used as the command and control centre, as it would if the simulated conflict were real.

References

  1. ↑ "Pitch Black 2012 participants", Australian Department of Defence retrieved 10January 2014

External links

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