combat aircraft

B

ILLED AS THE largest and

most complex iteration of

the exercise in its three-

decade history, ‘Pitch Black

2018’ — held from July 27

to August 17 — saw record

numbers of participating nations and

aircraft. About 140 aircraft from nine

countries were committed to the event

in the Northern Territory of Australia,

while another seven supported the

exercise in various capacities. In total,

some 4,000 personnel were involved.

Compared to past exercises, there

were more ‘real-world missions’ that

involved strike, support of ground forces

and special forces insertion. Large force

employment missions were  own by

‘Blue Air’ in o ensive counter-air (OCA)

and strike missions while ‘Red Air’ sought

to disrupt and prevent the former from

achieving their mission objectives.

‘Blue Air’ was generally based at Royal

Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Darwin

while ‘Red Air’ staged from 190 miles south

at RAAF Base Tindal.

The air action took place over the

Bradshaw Field Training Area and the

adjacent Delamere Air Weapons Range,

which o ered a vast training area over

Combat Aircraft reports

from ‘Pitch Black’, the largest

air exercise in the southern

hemisphere, and one that

has grown in signifi cance in

recent years.

REPORT Roy Choo

One of four Sukhoi Su-30MKIs from the

Indian Air Force’s No 102 Squadron ‘Trisonics’

that deployed to ‘Pitch Black 2018’ fl ies

alongside a RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet.

Commonwealth of Australia

EXERCISE REPORT // ‘PITCH BLACK’

16 December 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net