The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been welcoming global military participants as it sets to host Exercise Pitch Black 24 over the next three weeks.
Held every two years, Exercise Pitch Black focuses on large force employment missions involving large numbers of international aircraft.
The exercise was first held in June 1981 from the RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales as a three-day air defense exercise. This year, Exercise Pitch Black will run from July 12, 2024 until August 2, 2024 across three RAAF bases in Northern Territory and Queensland.
According to the RAAF, Exercise Pitch Black 24 will be the biggest in its 43-year history, with 20 participants, and over 140 aircraft from around the world, with approximately 4,435 personnel.
Active participating nations for Exercise Pitch Black 24 are Australia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Brunei, Canada, Fiji and New Zealand will have personnel embedded in the exercise.
Countries attending the exercises for the first time include Italy, Spain, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.
Also new for this year, an aircraft carrier will dedicate its time to Exercise Pitch Black 2024, in the form of the Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour.
Exercise Pitch Black 24 involves some of the most advanced air combat capabilities in the world, flown and supported by a highly-skilled workforce in a challenging training environment.