By
Louise Butcher
THE
facilities at RAAF Base Darwin will be expanded in preparation
for the influx of personnel from Australia, the US, France, Thailand
and Singapore for Exercise Pitch Black.
During Pitch Black, which will be held in the Top End from July
19 to August 5, more than 1000 additional personnel will work
on the base and about 60 aircraft will operate from the base.
About 770 of the personnel will be accommodated at RAAF Base Darwin
and the remainder distributed around other Defence establishments
and hotels in the Darwin area.
Additional demountable buildings will be brought in, more fuel
ordered for the bases at Darwin and Tindal, office equipment
and furniture hired, and vehicles – such as fuel tankers and special
ground support vehicles – transported from other Air Force bases.
Darwin has already undergone some recent improvements in the lead
up to Pitch Black, with work done on the existing fuel farms and
new tanker driver accommodation being built.
General facilities on the base are also in the process of being
improved.
Improvements include a new air-conditioned gymnasium incorporated
in the current building, which is the original airmen’s mess,
a new mechanical equipment maintenance section and a new fuel
equipment maintenance section.
Built before World War II, many of the buildings and facilities
date back to then.
