Overview
- The multinational exercise is scheduled to run from July 20 to August 7 and will operate from RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley.
- Organisers say roughly 2,500 personnel and up to 100 fighter and support aircraft will take part, with participating countries including the United States, Japan, India, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.
- The first overseas contingents have arrived in Darwin, with four Philippine FA-50PH jets followed by Thai F-16Bs, South Korean fighters and tankers, and several Singapore aircraft.
- Pitch Black 2026 will feature debut appearances by Japan’s JASDF F-35s and Indonesia’s T-50I light jets, adding new platform integration tasks for the training schedule.
- RAAF Exercise Commander Air Commodore Matthew McCormack says the event provides realistic, complex scenarios to improve how allied air forces operate together and supports Australia’s National Defence Strategy, building on lessons from the larger 2024 exercise.