Canberra, July 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during the opening ceremony of Exercise Pitch Black 2026 at Darwin.
The Exercise Pitch Black 2026 is a biennial multinational air combat exercise that brings together Air Forces of 19 nations. It provides a unique opportunity to enhance interoperability and strengthen operational cooperation.
"From the seabed to the sky - the India Australia defence relations are set to touch the sky with glory! Our Indian Air Force contingent had a privilege to interact with Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese during the opening ceremony of Exercise PITCH BLACK 2026 at Darwin," the Indian High Commission in Australia posted on X.
"Four Rafale aircrafts with around 100 Air Warriors from the IAF are honing their air combat skills along side participants from 20 other countries in Exercise PITCH BLACK 2026, the largest international air combat exercise in the Southern hemisphere, hosted by Australia," it added.
Earlier on July 17, the IAF contingent arrived in Australia for Exercise Pitch Black 2026. The exercise will sharpen operational synergy and facilitate the exchange of best practices, according to the statement released by the Indian Air Force.
"Scheduled from 20 July 26 to 07 August 26, Exercise Pitch Black is the RAAF's premier biennial multinational air combat exercise. The exercise derives its name from its emphasis on night flying over the vast un-populated areas of northern Australia," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday.
"In the exercise's 45-year long history, this edition features large quantum of participating forces, bringing together military personnel for complex Large Force Employment and multinational air combat operations," it added.
The IAF contingent comprises highly skilled Air Warriors including pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers and other subject matter experts. The contingent will operate the Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, supported by the C-17 Globemaster-Ill and the IL-78 Air-to-Air Refueling aircraft in combat support roles.
Through the exercise, the participating forces will have the opportunity to enhance interoperability, strengthen force integration and exchange operational best practices towards a collaborative conduct of operations in the global scenarios.
"Exercise Pitch Black 26 provides an excellent opportunity to validate expeditionary air operations over extended distances, enhance multinational interoperability and strengthen professional partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
"The exercise will enable participating air forces to operate in a realistic and challenging_ multinational environment, fostering greater operational synergy and mutual understanding. The IAF has previously participated in the 2018, 2022 and 2024 editions of the exercise, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening defence cooperation and regional security," it added.
Source: IANS
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