The moon suspended in the air above a Republic of Singapore aircraft being readied for a night flight during Exercise Pitch Black. Photo by LAC Robert Mitchell

THE mock air battle involving Queensland's RAAF Base Amberley and the New South Wales base at Williamtown has had the intensity that the two states are renowned for in their clashes on the football field.

While a "winner" is yet to be officially declared, Exercise Pitch Black - which finishes on August 1 - has been surrounded by a glow of success.

For three weeks, the skies above northern New South Wales and southern Queensland have been teeming with activity as the biggest event on the Air Force calendar has unfolded.

About 60 aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force have participated in air defence exercises designed to maintain and improve Australia's air security capabilities.

"We've achieved the standard outcomes of enhancing our ability to conduct these sorts of operations, whether they be offensive strike or air defence," Director of Exercise Control Group Captain Rick Owen said.

Staff Officer Operation for Pitch Black Wing Commander John Woods said the exercise achieved its aims of "improved air operations over land and sea and between neighbouring forces".

WGCDR Woods said one of Pitch Black's aim was to validate the concept of Air Combat Group and enhance interoperability between the Air Force and our Singaporean counterparts.

This year, Singaporean F-5s, F16s, a KC-135 Tanker and an E-2C Hawkeye surveillance aircraft have operated out of RAAF Base Amberley.

"The main benefit in coming to Australia is that we get to do over land exercises not available in Singapore," Commander of Republic of Singapore Air Force Detachment Colonel Andy Tan said.
Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules, Caribous, PC-9s, F-111s, F/A-18s and Hawks have also taken to the skies.

The Caribous have operated out of Tamworth in a tactical airlift role, the C-130s have conducted airlifted operations out of RAAF Base Richmond and PC-9s have filled a Forward Air Control role, supporting ground attack aircraft.

Pitch Black participants were divided into "enemy" and "friendly" teams. The enemy team was required to launch attacks on targets and escape unharmed while the friendly team attempts to identify and stop them.

RAAF Base Amberley housed the enemy coalition while Williamtown played host to the enemy.
While strike forces launched raids on targets off the coast between Coffs Harbour and Williamtown and land targets from Moree to Mudgee, Air Defence Officers attempted to track them with information gained from ground-based and airborne radars and sensors.

The enemy also faced a threat from below in the form of ground-based Air Defence missiles from the Army's 16th Airfield Defence Regiment.

The whole exercise was coordinated out of the Exercise Control Centre under the watchful eye of Exercise Control Director GPCAPT Owen.

"We're the white force that oversees the ebb and flow of the exercise, so we sort of bring the opposing forces together...we're the choreographer," GPCAPT Owen said.

Although Pitch Black 2002 was smaller in scale than previous years due to overseas commitments, Exercise Director Air Commodore Dave Peitsch said this year's exercise provided an opportunity to run it on the east coast with the majority of personnel operating from their home bases.

By CPL Mark Eaton and
Ben Caddaye