Exercise Pitch Black 2026 war games take flight

Up to 100 fighter jets will fill the skies over northern Australia for Exercise Pitch Black 2026, commencing tomorrow. This marks the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) most significant air combat training exercise, designed to bolster relationships with allied nations.

The biennial war games will host thousands of personnel from 20 participating countries, including new additions Finland and Sweden, who will have embedded aviators. The exercise, which has been held for over four decades, uses Darwin as its primary base, with RAAF Base Tindal and RAAF Base Amberley also involved. From July 20 to August 7, approximately 2,500 military personnel will engage in realistic and complex training scenarios.

This year's drills take place against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions, notably China's recent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine. Despite these geopolitical currents, Exercise Pitch Black commander Air Commodore Matthew McCormack emphasized that the training is not focused on any single threat. He likened the preparation to a "World Cup football match," stressing the need for extensive practice.

The 20 participating nations include the United States, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, India, Singapore, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Brunei, Finland, and Sweden. Notably, Japan is deploying its F-35 Lightning II jets, and Indonesia is showcasing its T-50I Golden Eagle aircraft. The exercise allows aviators to practice maneuvers in all conditions, including at night, simulating a "generic, high-threat environment."

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The analogy I use is like a World Cup football match. You wouldn't expect that your nation's team would rock up to the grand final … without a whole bunch of practice before getting to that position.