IAF to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia from July 20 to August 7

The Indian Air Force (IAF), along with the air forces of 19 other countries, will participate in Australia’s premier multinational air combat exercise, Exercise Pitch Black 2026, scheduled to be held in northern Australia from 20 July to 7 August.

Up to 100 combat and support aircraft and more than 2,500 military personnel operating from Darwin, Tindal and Amberley bases will participate in the exercise, which will be hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). First conducted in 1983, Exercise Pitch Black is one of the largest and most complex air combat training events in the Indo-Pacific region.

This year’s fair will bring together aircraft from the United States, Japan, India, Indonesia, Singapore, France, Germany, Spain, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Philippines and Papua New Guinea, the RAAF said in a statement. Military personnel from New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, Brunei, Malaysia, Finland and Sweden will also participate in resident roles.

Pitch Black 2026 will also mark the debut of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and Indonesia’s T-50I Golden Eagle aircraft.

Realistic war scenarios

Exercise Commander Air Commodore Matthew McCormack said Pitch Black remains the RAAF’s largest collective training activity with joint and allied air forces, providing realistic and complex combat scenarios that increase interoperability and strengthen defense cooperation.

He said the exercise built on lessons learned from the 2024 edition and that Australia continued to attract large international participation due to its large military training airspace.

According to the RAAF, the exercise also supports the objectives of Australia’s National Defense Strategy by improving operational integration and strengthening the shared commitment to regional peace and stability.

Exercise Pitch Black 2026 will conclude a period of high-paced flying in Northern Australia that also includes Exercises Diamond Storm and Southern Cross.