Pitch Black 2008
PITCH BLACK 2008 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
General:
Exercise Pitch Black, the Royal Australian Air Force's largest exercise, is scheduled to commence on 6th June 2008. The biennial exercise will run until 27th June and will allow the men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force to train with representatives from The United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, France, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom and NATO.
The Scenario:
Exercise Pitch Black 2008 (PB08) is an Offensive Counter Air (OCA) and Defensive Counter Air (DCA) exercise that provides a valuable learning experience for RAAF personnel in a genuine multinational environment. The PB08 scenario focuses on both the operational and tactical levels of warfare.
The exercise scenario divides the Northern Territory (NT) into a number of areas, notionally called Blueland and Redland.
In the scenario, Redland has a track record of belligerence against the neighbouring Blueland and cross border tensions are increasing. Both forces possess a numbers of fighter aircraft and ground based air defence assets in a complex integrated air defence systems environment. The capabilities of these forces will be fully tested during the three week exercise.
Participants:
Significantly Pitch Black 08 will see forces from NATO and the Royal Malaysian Air Force participate for the first time in the Pitch Black series of exercises. Pitch Black 08 will also make use of the Joint and Combined Training Centre to interleave simulated assets into the live missions. They will join the RAAF along with the United States, Singapore, Thailand and France.
Pitch Black 08 will also be the last major exercise for the Royal Australian Air Force B707 Air to Air Refueller aircraft with its impending retirement from service during 2008.
Commander Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Neil Hart, said “Exercise Pitch Black 08 provides a great opportunity for participating personnel to demonstrate their capacity to operate tactically in a coalition environment”.
“Throughout the exercise, participating nations will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to participate in and contribute to a multi-national defence exercise, across cultures and regions”.