IAF set to begin Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia on Monday with Rafale, C-17 and IL-78
New Delhi, July 19
The Indian Air Force will begin its participation in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin on Monday. Scheduled from July 20 to August 7, the biennial exercise is the RAAF's premier multinational air combat exercise, according to a Ministry of Defence statement.
The exercise derives its name from its emphasis on night flying over the vast, sparsely populated regions of northern Australia. Now in its 45th year, this edition will feature one of the largest contingents of participating air forces, bringing together military personnel for complex large force employment missions and multinational air combat operations.
The IAF contingent comprises pilots, engineers, technicians, controllers and other subject matter experts. It will operate the Rafale multirole fighter aircraft, supported by the C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft and the IL-78 air-to-air refuelling aircraft in combat support roles.
According to the MoD, the exercise will provide participating forces an opportunity to enhance interoperability, strengthen force integration and exchange operational best practices in a realistic multinational environment.
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 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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see India participating consistently since 2018. The night flying focus is interesting — adds a whole new dimension of complexity. Hope our C-17 and IL-78 support assets get good practice too. Logistics is half the battle.
Honestly, I wish the government would focus more on domestic defence manufacturing instead of just buying expensive Rafales. But yes, joint exercises like this are crucial for regional security. Let's hope we also sign more technology transfer agreements.
Pitch Black 2026 — the name itself sounds intense! Night ops over vast Australian outback must be some challenge. Kudos to our brave pilots and ground crew. This strengthens Indo-Australia ties too. Imagine the synergy with Quad partners! 🇮🇳🤝🇦🇺
Interesting to note the IAF has been part of 3 editions already. 2018, 2022, 2024 — consistent participation shows India's serious about being a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific. The Rafale is a brilliant aircraft for such exercises.
This is wonderful news! I hope our engineers and technicians get to learn new maintenance practices from other air forces. The Indo-Pacific region needs more cooperative exercises like this. Safety and professionalism should be the key takeaways. ✨
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