The Royal Australian Air Force’s largest international exercise is underway in the Northern Territory and will run for the next three weeks. The Prime Minister has described this year as the most significant for Exercise Pitch Black, owing to increased the importance of international alliances.
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TRANSCRIPT:
By any measure, Exercise Pitch Black is a major enterprise.
100 aircraft and personnel from 21 allied and partner nations will be running military exercises, based out of Darwin until mid-August.
Pitch Black is a longtime military tradition.
Australia first hosted the exercise at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales in 1981.
Since then, a 3-day air defence exercise has expanded to three weeks - with more diverse international cooperation.
Launching the exercise, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed international and local troops from the R-A-A-F airbase in Darwin.
"It's been going for 40 years, but it is bigger and better than it has ever been. That is because relationships are more important than they have ever been. So thank you for your service and I hope that you not only have a successful and fruitful time here, but an enjoyable one as well."
Exercise Pitch Black has been held biennially since 1988 with the exception of 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first fast jets to arrive this year were from the Phillippine Airforce, returning since they debuted at pitch black in 2024.
Contingent Commander, Colonel Thomas Ryan Seguin,spoke with the Australian Defence Force in a prepared statement, on behalf of his troops.
"We look forward to getting more experience and hopefully we get to fly more sorties than we did in 2024 and we look forward to again, cherishing time with all the other counterparts participating and coming in this week."
Wing Commander Rowan Paice is the Senior Australian Defence Officer at R-A-A-F Base Darwin.
In an interview conducted by the A-D-F, he welcomed the Philippine contingent's arrival, which he says is strategically important.
"It's great to have them back, which really goes to the shared relationship that we have between our two countries, to promote regional security."
Exercise Pitch Black will see intricate exercises carried out over weeks, including swapping aircraft and practising with different vehicles.
Commander Paice and his counterparts from a variety of nations, including the US and Britain explained some of what will happen in coming weeks, to the Prime Minister, who spent Monday morning greeting international and local personell in Darwin.
"Watching the team refueling and re-arming F-35s while their engines are still running. So landing from a mission, gas, rearm and go again. That's the first aircraft, the second Australian F-35 is being flown by an American."
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Penny Wong is bound in the other direction; she is in the Philippines from Monday [[20 July]], to attend the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum.
The Foreign Minister says she looks forward to meeting with the Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs to discus ongoing collaboration, as the two countries mark 80 years of diplomatic ties.
She says the talks are an opportunity to advance Australia’s interests in the region.
"At a time of rising strategic competition and global economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever for Australia to work closely with ASEAN partners to help shape a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous."
Minister Wong says energy security, supply chain resilience and long-term economic prosperity will be high on the agenda.
