New Gallery: Exercise Pitch Black 2012

Finally got down to editing and uploading the photography from our visit to RAAF Darwin last August for Exercise Pitch Black 2012. 20 photos have now been added to the Pitch Black Gallery. The photo below, of Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A+ Hornet A21-7 of 77 Sqn holding short on Darwin's Runway 29 while waiting for a Republic of Singapore Air Force Gulfstream 550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning aircraft to land, is my favourite photo from two days of shooting.

PHOTOS: Marine Hornets air-to-air over Northern Australia at Pitch Black

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Some nice photography from the United States Marine Corps of its F/A-18C Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 refueling in the air from a KC-130J Hercules during flight training over Northern Australia in support of Pitch Black 2012, August 15 2012. This exercise is conducted to enhance flight operations and maintain proficiency as well as maintain interoperability between allies and partner nations. A coordinated multilateral response to regional challenges is the best way to increase peace, stability and prosperity in the region. (All USMC Photos by Cpl. Vanessa Jimenez)

USAF B-52 and KC-135 to carry out training in Darwin

Moose 51 arrives into Darwin. Photo © William Nguyen Phuoc

The article says "will send", but my understanding is that a U.S. Air Force B-52H (callsign Moose 51 from the 5th Bomb Wing, MT/60-0055) and a KC-135 have arrived at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin today to take part in short term joint training with the RAAF. The B-52 is assigned to Andersen AFB as part of U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Air Force rotational presence in the Pacific, and the KC-135 is part of the Tanker Task Force in the region.

B-52s in Darwin are unusual, but not all that unusual. The last B-52 visit to RAAF Darwin was in 2010, when they took part in Exercise Hamel with the Australian Defence Force. The B-52s also conduct missions to use the Delamere range, usually round-trip missions from Guam without stopovers.

Indeed, a B-52 from the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron was the sole USAF participant in 2012's Exercise Pitch Black held in Australia's Northern Territory, staging from Guam and being escorted by "Taiwanese" (NOTE: Most likely Singaporean as Taiwan does not participate in Pitch Black) and Indonesian fighters (presumably Singaporean F-15SGs and Indonesian Su-27/30s as part of Blue Force) on it's way to and from target. I'll need to look deeper into this, but I'm pretty sure this marks the first time a B-52 has been escorted by Flankers on a mission, albeit on an exercise.

What caught my eye was this bit from the first link: "...decisions on future rotations are still under discussion. One of the goals of this visit is to discuss details required for support to future rotational deployments to both RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal."

Various sources have indicated that in the near future, rotations of USAF and US Marine Corps air assets to Northern Australia may become semi-permanent or even permanent as part of the "pivot to the Pacific". This current deployment to Darwin may only be the start of many more to come.

Thanks to William Nguyen Phuoc for additional information

VIDEO: Twisted stomach, giant cramps: Inside Ex Pitch Black

The Royal Australian Air Force has given the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Jano Gibson a unique perspective of Exercise Pitch Black from the backseat of an F/A-18B Hornet. After 3 weeks of intense flying operations, the exercise has concluded yesterday.

Exercise Pitch Black Open Day, RAAF Darwin, 11 August 2012

If you're in Darwin, or like military aviation and would like to head over, there will be an Exercise Pitch Black Open Day on Saturday the 11th of August at RAAF Base Darwin. Click on this link to the RAAF's Facebook page for more details and information.

VIDEO: Day One Pitch Black 2012

The Royal Australian Air Force's Wing Commander David "Max" Merritt discusses the first day of Exercise Pitch Black 2012.

Meanwhile, the below photo was snapped from just outside RAAF Darwin near the end of a frenetic day of Pitch Black 2012 flying activity today. We were given a first rate tour of RAAF Darwin courtesy of the good folks over at the RAAF, and have a ton of photos to process!

Photos of Indonesian Su-27/30s arriving at Darwin for Ex. Pitch Black

© Commonwealth of Australia

Pitch Black has not even begun yet, and it already looks like the air-to-air images of Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Su-27/30s arriving in Australia for the exercise taken by the Royal Australian Air Force will be hard to beat in terms of their wow factor.

List of participants at Exercise Pitch Black 2012

The Australian Defence Force has just released the list of participating aircraft at this year's Exercise Pitch Black, which will be held in the skies over Australia's Northern Territory from 27 July to 16 August 2012. Up to 94 aircraft and more than 2200 personnel are expected to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 12. This will include:

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

F/A-18A Hornet (Darwin and Tindal)
F/A-18F Super Hornet (Darwin)*
C-130H and C-130J Hercules (Darwin)
King Air 350 (Darwin)
Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter (Tindal)
Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft (Tindal)*
AP-3C Orion (Tindal)
KC-30 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (Amberley)*

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

F-16C/D Falcon (Darwin)**
F-15SG Eagle (Darwin)*
Gulfstream 550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) (Darwin)*
KC-135R Stratotanker (Darwin)

United States Marine Corps (USMC)

F/A-18C Hornet (Tindal)***
KC-130J Hercules (Tindal)

Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)

F-16A/B Falcon (Darwin)

Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU)*

Su-30 Flanker (Darwin – 27 July to 13 August only)*

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)

Combat Support Personnel

*denotes first time participant for Exercise Pitch Black.
**RSAF F-16C/Ds will probably carry markings from both 140 and 143 Squadron, however personnel will be drawn from either of the squadrons listed.
***US Marine Corps F/A-18Cs will be from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232, normally based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The unit is currently based at Iwakuni in Japan as part of the USMC's Unit Deployment Program (UDP).

More on the ADF's dedicated Pitch Black website.

Indonesian Flankers to make Australian debut at Pitch Black

TNI-AU Su-30MK2

We've finally been given the clearance to publish this after sitting on it for the past few weeks. The TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Force) will be sending it's Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flanker interceptors to Darwin for the upcoming Exercise Pitch Black. Four aircraft, reportedly 2 Su-27s and 2 Su-30s, will make up the TNI-AU's debut contingent at the biannual multinational air defence exercise. From what we understand, the TNI-AU will however not take part in the full exercise.

The TNI-AU will join aircraft from Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States for this year's Pitch Black, which will be held in the skies over Australia's Northern Territories from late July to mid-August.

Indonesia operates a mix of Su-27SK/SKM and Su-30MK2 variants of the Flanker. This will be the first time the TNI-AU and it's Flankers will make an appearance at Pitch Black.

Boeing Vigilare enters service with RAAF after successful exercise

Boeing's Network Centric Command and Control System (NC3S) developed for the Commonwealth of Australia, has entered service on Sept 2nd with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) after excelling in a major multinational air combat exercise. The system had participated in Pitch Black 2010 with the RAAF, which also involved the air forces of Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand.

Pitch Black 2010 draws to a close

Exercise Pitch Black 2010 drew to a close last night with the final flying sorties at RAAF Darwin.

PHOTO: Let the (war)games begin!

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20100730raaf8160785_0047 Wing Commander Glenn Beck of Red Force, calls "Showtime" over the radio, before letting out a flare to commence the mission during exercise Pitch Black.

More RAAF F/A-18 photos at this Pitch Black Gallery.

PHOTO: Singaporean F-16s far from home

Photos of Republic of Singapore Air Force far from home at opposite corners of the world. In the second photo, aircraft 632 (FMS serial 96-5033) carries an inert GBU-12. (Click on thumbnails to view high res images)


Luke Air Force Base crew chiefs make final checks on four F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 425th Fighter Squadron prior to takeoff July 12. On average, Luke pilots fly about 113 training missions per day. (Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tracie Forte)


20100629adf8164101_0149 F-16 Falcons from the RSAF line up on the RAAF Darwin taxi way ready for their next mission during Exercise Pitch Black.
(Australian Defence Force Photo)

Singapore Air Force celebrates Pitch Black milestone

This years Pitch Black exercise in Australia marks the 20th year of participation by the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

PHOTO: RAAF Hornet carrying Lockheed Martin Paveway II E-LGTR

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20100723raaf8540652_0008 Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornet takes off from RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 2010. (ADF Photo)

Base Leg Note: The aircraft is carrying the Lockheed Martin Paveway II E-LGTR (Enhanced Laser Guided Training Round). More information on Lockheed Martin's website.

GALLERY: Aircraft arrive at RAAF Darwin for Pitch Black

The ADF has put up a gallery of aircraft arrivals into RAAF Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black.

This, and Ex Kakadu to follow immediately after Pitch Black, will be the last multinational exercises for the RAAF's F-111s which will retire in December.

More at the ADF's Pitch Black website.

Exercise Pitch Black arrivals, Darwin, Australia

Reports beginning to filter in of RSAF and RTAF movements into Darwin, Australia for Exercise Pitch Black.

An RSAF C-130 and KC-135, RTAF A310 and at least 2 F-16s have been seen.

Stay tuned for more in the coming days