India’s Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets are set to showcase their capabilities in Exercise Pitch Black, Australia’s largest international air combat training event, starting at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases in Darwin and Tindal from Friday. This year marks the exercise’s most extensive participation in its 43-year history, with approximately 140 aircraft and more than 4000 personnel from 20 nations involved, as announced by the RAAF on Thursday. Held biennially, the exercise emphasizes large-force employment missions featuring a multitude of international aircraft.
In the previous 2022 edition, the Indian Air Force contributed a contingent comprising four Su-30 MKI and two C-17 aircraft. This year, over 150 highly skilled Indian air warriors, including pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers, and other experts, will operate the formidable Su-30 MKI multirole fighters, alongside the C-17 Globemaster and IL-78 Air-to-Air Refuelling aircraft in combat support roles. India’s Ministry of Defence highlighted that the exercise presents a significant opportunity for enhancing the operational capabilities of participating nations across vast distances, promoting integrated operations in the Indo-Pacific region, and fostering robust aviation partnerships in challenging environments.
Exercise Pitch Black will focus on Large Force Employment tactics, aimed at bolstering international cooperation and providing invaluable experience for IAF Su-30 MKI pilots alongside counterparts flying F-35, F-22, F-18, F-15, Gripen, and Typhoon fighter aircraft. Notably, this edition will witness the inaugural participation of aircraft and personnel from the Philippines, Spain, Italy, and Papua New Guinea, with embedded personnel from Fiji and Brunei also joining. Additionally, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and New Zealand will contribute aircraft and personnel.
Operations will be centered at RAAF bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory, supplemented by tanker and transport aircraft stationed at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. Air Commodore Peter Robinson, Exercise Director, emphasized that Exercise Pitch Black serves as a premier platform for enhancing international relations, underscoring shared commitments to regional peace and stability. The exercise offers participants exposure to intricate scenarios utilizing cutting-edge aircraft and battlespace systems within one of the world’s largest military training airspaces. The Australian Defence Ministry highlighted the substantial benefits for international participants, including the opportunity to refine deployment capabilities over long distances, with many nations traveling significant distances to take part in the exercise.
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