43 years of Exercise Pitch Black.
Exercise Pitch Black 2024 is about to get underway in Australia, we take a look at the exercises humble beginnings right through to the event it is today.
Article: Jaryd Stock
Images: Jaryd Stock, Ryan Imeson and RAAF
Australia’s biggest international air combat training activity, Exercise Pitch Black 2024, will take to the skies over the Northern Territory from 12 July to 2 August.
With approximately 140 aircraft and over 4000 personnel from 20 nations will be participating in this year’s iteration of the Exercise, with this years Pitch Black the largest participation in its 43-year history.
The exercise can trace its origins back to 1981 and back then it wasn’t the multi-faceted and multi-national Large Force Employment exercise that we see today, it was a an exercise that ran for three days and was a domestic air defence exercise held at RAAF Base Williamtown.
The scenarios faced by crews from No.3 and No. 77 Squadrons as well as No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown and operating the Mirage III fighter jets, were to scramble from the base and defend it from No.1 and No.6 Squadron F-111C “Pigs” that had launched from RAAF Base Amberley and were conducting a strike on Williamtown, these were assisted by the Macchi trainers based at RAAF Base Richmond that were also participating in the exercise with both Macchies and Pigs conducting the strike at night.
A RAAF F-111C taking off from RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 1984. RAAF
The scenarios are very reminiscent of the Dawn Strike exercise that is held every two years and that recently conducted at RAAF Base Williamtown after the 6 month Air Warfare Instructors Course which saw students on the course develop tactics to conduct an early morning strike on the base after returning from RAAF Base Darwin for Exercise Diamond Storm 24.
As the Pitch Black exercise was conducted during the night time this is where the name of the exercise was derived from, the areas which the exercise was conducted was in the skies over unlit national parks and unpopulated areas in New South Wales, and in the middle of the night made flying with visual cues near impossible.
In 1983 the Exercise had moved from the East Coast to the Top End and was now conducted out of RAAF Base Darwin making it the first major exercise to operate out of Darwin after Cyclone Tracey struck in 1974 and largest exercise to be held in the city since World War 2.
All Pitch Black exercises have been conducted in the skies over the Northern Territory except for 1981, 82, 86 and in 2002 which saw RAAF Base Amberley host the exercise.
Pitch Black started to get an international flavour in 1983 when the U.S. Air Force started participating with 3x B-52G Stratofortresses supported by KC-135 Stratotankers as well as F-4 Phantom’s that were based at Osan Air Base, Korea deployed to RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Williamtown respectively, and then followed by the Royal New Zealand Air Force participating with A-4K Skyhawks in 1984.
Aerial view of the RAAF Base Darwin flightline during Exercise Pitch Black 84. Visible are United States Air Force (USAF) F-4E Phantoms, a USAF B-52 Stratofortress, a Royal Australian Navy Hawker Siddeley 748, a USAF E-3A Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), and USAF KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. RAAF
A now major player in recent iterations of the exercise the Republic of Singapore Air Force began its long association with the exercise back in 1990 and have appeared at every subsequent Pitch Black exercise to date.
Recently since 2022 the Royal Air Force have participated in the Exercise most notably with the FGR. Mk4 Typhoons and they will be returning to Darwin to participate in the 2024 edition of the exercise. But the United Kingdom’s involvement working with the RAAF can be traced back to 1998 when it officially joined the Pitch Black family.
Another notable recent inclusion to the foreign countries participating in the exercise has been the Indian Air Force which debuted at Pitch Black back in 2018 deploying Su-30MKI Flankers and a C-130-30J Hercules, giving participating nations a first hand look at the eastern built aircraft in the Flanker and seeing what it is capable of.
This exercise exposes participants to complex scenarios whilst utilising some of the most advanced aircraft and battlespace systems, in one of the biggest areas of military training airspace in the world.
The Marine Rotational Force- Darwin that deploys to the Top End of Australia every year for 6 months says that the area to train in is second to none, with the Bradshaw Field Training area in equivalent to size as the state of Connecticut in the United States- there are 4 major training areas in the Northern Territory, that gives a scope to how big the airspace which will be utilised in this exercise there really is.
Those magical Darwin Sunsets, as a RAAF Ap-3C Orion arrives on dusk during Pitch Black 2016. Jaryd Stock
In 2024 the exercise sees some countries participating for the first time, aircraft and personnel from Philippines which are bringing 5x F/A-50 Fighter aircraft, Spain, and Papua New Guinea and embedded personnel from Fiji and Brunei will participate in the exercise.
For this years event Italy will be attending with a sizeable detachment with the Italian Navy flagship the ITS Cavour with its mixed air wing of F-35B Lightnings and AV-8B Harrier’s and Nh-90 helicopters participating and its carrier strike force also participating in the waters off the Northern Territory this coincidently marks the first time in 30 years AV-8B Harriers have participated in the exercise.
Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour pulls alongside East Arm Wharf, Darwin, ready to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 24. RAAF
In addition, aircraft from France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States; and embedded personnel from Canada and New Zealand will also participate.
Aircraft will operate from RAAF bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory, with additional tanker and transport aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. U.S. Air Force’s 27th Fighter Squadron will be flying the flag for the U.S. Pacific Forces the 27th FS will deploy to RAAF Base Tindal with around 6x F-22A Raptors.
“Exercise Pitch Black is our premier activity for international engagement, held every two years to build stronger ties with like-minded nations,” Exercise Director Air Commodore Peter Robinson said.
“Training with our partner nations throughout Exercise Pitch Black demonstrates our commitment to the shared value of sustaining peace and stability across the region.
“The Northern Territory is a big part of what makes this exercise a success, and allows visitors a unique opportunity to experience Australia.
RAAF EA-18G Growler departs RAAF Base Darwin during Pitch Black 2018. Jaryd Stock
The success of the exercise as well as other deployments to Darwin through the year such as Exercise Diamond Storm has seen the base grow over the last several years with new infrastructure being built at the RAAF Base, also utilising other bases such as Amberley gives the scope to crews on space and operating especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
Pitch Black 24 missions will thus require complex planning and coordination across hundreds of Australian and international aircrews as well as thousands of support personnel with aircraft to fly over thousands of kilometres in tightly controlled airspace.
The RAAF will also thank local Darwin residents on July 18th with the Mindil Beach mass flyover and on July 20th with a RAAF Base Darwin Open day. The Royal Australian Navy is also getting in on the action throwing open its doors to HMAS Base Coonawarra on the 21st of July with the Italian Navy welcoming people onboard the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour which will be moored at the Naval base.
Both the RAAF and Navy open days are ticketed events which are free but must be sourced from both of their websites.
An air-to-air view of four F-4E Phantom II aircraft from the United States Air Force (USAF) 51st Tactical Fighter Wing during Exercise Pitch Black 84. RAAF
Luftwaffe Eurofighter from the Tactical Fighter Wing 74 departs Darwin. Ryan Imeson
Pair of RAAF Classic Hornets over the Outback. Jaryd Stock
A pair of RAAF Mirage IIID fighter aircraft on the flightline at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 88. RAAF
Mindil Beach display is a thank you to the residents of Darwin and is always a crowd pleaser. Ryan Imeson
A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-5E Tiger (foreground) and RAAF F/A-18A Hornet on the taxiway at RAAF Base Williamtown during Exercise Pitch Black 2002. RAAF
Luftwaffe flypast of Mindil Beach in 2022. Ryan Imeson
RAAF No.36 Squadron C-17A Globemaster III departing Darwin Airport during Pitch Black 2016. Jaryd Stock
An aerial view of a United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress (left, background), a RAAF F-111C, and a Royal Australian Air Force Hawker Siddeley 748 aircraft on the flightline at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 84. RAAF
F/A-18F Super Hornet A44-224 flown by current (As of July 3rd 2024) Chief of Air Force Air Marshall Stephen Chapel back in 2016. Jaryd Stock
C-27J landing at Darwin airport on the cross runway. Jaryd Stock
A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) A-4K Skyhawk at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 84. RAAF
RSAF F-16D on the line at Darwin at dusk. Jaryd Stock
TUDM (Malaysian Air Force) A400M Atlas providing Air to Air refuelling in Pitch Black 2018. Jaryd Stock
Everyone’s favourite, F-111C on the flightline at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 98. RAAF
RAAF 77 Squadron F/A-18A Classic Hornet departing at sunset in 2016. Jaryd Stock
RSAF C-130H Hercules entering the circuit at Darwin. Jaryd Stock
RSAF F-15SG from No. 149 Squadron departing Darwin in 2016. Jaryd Stock
Crowds flock to the Indian Air Force Su-30MKI Flanker during the RAAF Base Darwin open day in 2022. Ryan Imeson
USAF F-16C from the 14th Fighter Squadron over the Northern Territory in 2016. Jaryd Stock
Apart of Indian Air Force first participation in Pitch Black was this C-130-30J Hercules from No.87 Squadron in 2018. Jaryd Stock
JASDF F-2 at Darwin in 2022. Ryan Imeson
A pair of RAAF No. 1 Squadron F/A-18F Super Hornets departing Darwin in 2018. Jaryd Stock
Into the future. F-35A Lightning from 2OCU streaks past the Darwin city skyline during Pitch Black 2022. Ryan Imeson
Jaryd picked up a camera at a young age and has never looked back. He now combines photography and writing to highlight "Downunder" aviation; especially U.S. DoD units. Jaryd uses Nikon cameras and lenses.