DARWIN, Australia — Defense News attended the multinational air combat exercise Pitch Black, which took part in Australia from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8. Our Asia correspondent, Mike Yeo, was onboard an Australian KC-30 tanker, during which he was able to take some of these photos. He took other shots from a control tower at RAAF Base Darwin or on the ground during the exercise.
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A Royal Australian Air Force F-35A prepares to refuel in midair from a KC-30A tanker over Australia’s Northern Territory during the multinational air combat exercise Pitch Black. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
An F-16D Fighting Falcon of the Indonesian Air Force’s No. 3 Squadron is seen parked on the ramp at RAAF Base Darwin. This is the third time Australia’s nearest neighbor took part in the exercise, with the jets coming from Iswahyudi Air Force Base. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
Japan was one of the notable debutants at Pitch Black, with five Mitsubishi F-2A fighters from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force marking the first time its combat aircraft visited Australia. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
An Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport belonging to a NATO multinational unit takes off from Darwin. The Netherlands-registered aircraft was one of three supporting the German Air Force’s deployment to the Indo-Pacific region, although only one stayed for the exercise. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 lands at RAAF Base Tindal. The squadron is one of two Marine F-35B squadrons based in Japan, both of which took part in Pitch Black. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
A U.S. Air Force F-15C fighter takes off from Darwin for an afternoon Pitch Black mission, with the buildings of Darwin city in the background. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
A pair of Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16D+ Fighting Falcons of 145 Squadron are seen in formation off an Australian KC-30A tanker following midair refueling. Each F-16 is carrying an inert (blue painted), 500-pound, dual-mode, guided GBU-49 bomb. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
An Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI Flanker takes off from Darwin for an afternoon sortie during Pitch Black. Part of the Indian contingent at the exercise were from 20 Squadron, based at Lohegaon, Pune. (Mike Yeo/Staff)
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