Pitch Black 06 Background Information

General:

Exercise Pitch Black, the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) largest exercise, is scheduled to commence on 28 July 2006 . The biennial exercise will run until 18 August 2006 and will allow the men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force to train with Air Force representatives from France, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States .

The way this is done is to divide the forces into 'enemy' or ‘red' and 'friendly' or ‘blue' forces. For Pitch Black 2006, the ‘friendly forces' will be attempting to stop the expansion of an ‘enemy', and to protect foreign nationals from harm. For the 'friendly' force, their job is to identify the 'enemy' and to do everything they can to reduce their ability to project offensive power capabilities, and reduce their will to fight a war.

The Scenario:

The Exercise Pitch Black 2006 (PB06) scenario focuses on the operational and tactical levels of warfare. Designed by the Directorate of Plans at Air Command to hone the skills of all participating personnel, it is loosely based on recent events in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq . Pitch Black 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 exercise scenario is divided into three areas in the Northern Territory (NT). “Blueland” has its major forward operating base located at RAAF Bases Darwin and Curtin and “Redland'” at RAAF Base Tindal, with an additional airfield and barracks at Delamere Air Weapons Range. Other significant infrastructure is located at Timber Creek, Victoria River Downs and Humbert River. Neutral nations are located to the south and east of Redland.

In the scenario, Redland has a track record of belligerence against its neighbours, including the use of chemical weapons. It is also accused of human rights violations and ethnic cleansing that have produced an enclave of displaced people that continue to be harassed. This enclave is located to the Northwest of Katherine. Intelligence has confirmed that Redland is sponsoring and training terrorist activities within Blueland and is also involved in drug trafficking and cultivation to partially fund its military adventurism. Redland possesses large numbers of fighter aircraft and ground based air defences in a complex integrated air defence systems environment. The capabilities of these forces will be fully tested during the three week exercise.

Scenario Participants and their Roles:

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

Headquarters Air Command (HQAC)

Air Operations Centre (AOC):

An Air Operations Centre (AOC) is part of the Joint Force Air Component Commander's (JFACC) air staff Air Commodore Mark A. Skidmore Joint Forces Air Component Commander bio. The purpose of an AOC is to provide centralised planning and control of air operations within a theatre or area of operations. It provides the critical link to translate national and command-level guidance and strategy into daily tasking in the form of an Air Tasking Order (ATO). The ATO normally tasks operations for a 24-hour execution period. The AOC does this through a systematic, cyclical six-stage process called the Air Tasking Cycle. Normally this process takes 72 hours from the start of planning through the end of execution.

During Pitch Black 06, the RAAF will run an AOC from RAAF Base Glenbrook (near Sydney in the Blue Mountains) to plan and control air operations in the NT. Coalition representatives from the UK, US, Singapore, Thailand, and France will participate in planning and executing operations.

The end result will be a demonstrated capability to plan and control coalition air operations from RAAF Glenbrook using procedures which are fully compatible with those of our coalition partners.

Air Combat Group (ACG)

No. 81 Wing (81WG):

81WG will provide two FA-18 Hornet Squadrons complete with aircrew, maintenance and various other specialist support staff.

No. 3 Squadron (3SQN) F/A-18 Hornets will be conducting offensive air campaign against a simulated adversary. Their missions will attempt to establish air superiority by targeting the assets of their opponents, and to destroy military facilities by employment in the strike campaign against Redland.

The other squadron derived from 81WG, No. 75 Squadron (75SQN) will perform the DCA role, disrupting and harrying them in an attempt to prevent them from achieving their offensive aims. This squadron will be defending Tindal Air Base and surrounding areas.

No. 82 Wing (82WG):

In addition to providing specialist support personnel to support the Commander of Air Operations, 82WG personnel will work with No. 395 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (395ECSS) from Combat Support Group to activate the Curtin RAAF Base from ‘bare base' to fully operational status.

F111s from 82WGs No. 1 Squadron (1SQN) will fly from Curtin Air Base as part of the ‘blue' attack force in the PB06 exercise scenario. The aircraft will be conducting coordinated strikes against Redland positions and targets. They will be integrated into packages with assets from the Thai and Singaporean ‘blue' platforms including F16s and FA-18s.

Combat Support Group (CSG)

Number 386 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron (386ECSS):

386ECSS's main role is the provision of non-aircraft support to operations and exercises both here in Australia and overseas. 386ECSS's role will be no different for PB06 – they are the primary unit tasked to provide a range of support designed to sustain the F-111 flying operations based from RAAF Base Curtin (located near Derby in Western Australia).

To do this, personnel from 386ECSS will firstly have to activate the base. RAAF Base Curtin is one of the RAAF's three ‘bare' forward operating bases which are designed for short notice activation. Once activated, bare bases strengthen Australia 's capabilities by providing support for maritime, air and land operations aimed at securing our northern approaches.

As a bare base, Curtin only contains minimal infrastructure and houses a few personnel such as caretaker staff on a day to day basis. It is the ECSS's role to bring the bare base to fully operational status by supplying the support elements required to set the base up and sustain the operations.

Support elements that 386ECSS will be providing for the exercise include fuel, vehicles, medical, catering, communications, security, logistics and administration.

More infomration on RAAF Base Curtin can be found here: WA Community Info

Security:

Security of the base plays an important part in successful air operations. 386ECSS will provide security elements such as Security Police (SECPOL) in order to effectively protect the base. Generally, SECPOL's role encompasses protective security, law enforcement and emergency responses. Also helping SECPOL will be the Military Working Dogs (MWD). MWD are trained in a range of situations and perform tasks such as man trailing, building searches and security patrolling.

Direct Air Operations Support:

No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron (1ATS) will provide direct support to air operations during Exercise Pitch Black 06. This support will be provided by aircraft loading and air cargo handling services to Airlift Assets (C-130 Hercules and Boeing 707 aircraft) at RAAF Darwin, Tindal and Curtin. This support encompasses:

•  Passenger handling services including reception, processing and general passenger administration similar to civilian airport operations;

•  Cargo handling services including the preparation and security of cargo, administration and loading and unloading of aircraft; and

•  Planning of tarmac operations including aircraft arrival and departure advice, aircraft marshalling, parking and coordination of aircraft services such as refuelling and unloading.

Communications:

No. 1 Combat Communications Squadron (1CCS) will provide specialist communications support to Exercise Pitch Black 06. The Squadron's role is to provide effective communications and information systems to enable efficient communication whilst deployed to any location. These services are categorised in the following;

•  Airfield systems including air traffic control systems and aircraft navigational aids;

•  Information systems and information technology equipment and networks in support of airfield operations. This includes various phone services; and

•  Radio and antenna systems for Airfield, Tactical and Landline communications.

All of these services provided by 1CCS combine the establishment and maintenance of communication networks encompassing ground-to-air and ground-to-ground communications, air traffic control facilities and data transmission services (akin to the internet). These service provisions will include the deployment of personnel and equipment from Townsville and re-deployment to Townsville following the completion of the exercise.

Logistics:

No. 1 Combat Logistics Squadron (1CLS) will provide a range of personnel and equipment for exercise PB06. The Squadron's main role is to move stores and equipment from RAAF Base Townsville to Curtin. Examples of equipment 1CLS will be providing are deployable showers, toilets and laundries. Personnel will also provide logistics support to deployed squadrons whilst on exercise and will re-deploy stores and equipment back to Townsville on completion of the exercise.

1CLS will also provide a welfare suite. It is important on sustained operations or exercises that welfare support is provided to deployed personnel. Welfare support is provided for the physical and emotional wellbeing of a deployed force and is designed to sustain morale and operational effectiveness. It encompasses a range of services and facilities such as communication links with home, recreational and entertainment facilities such as a deployable gym, newspapers and magazines, and provision of canteen services. 1CLS will be providing a range of these services for PB06.

Health Services:

Health Services Wing (HSW) is deploying an Expeditionary Health Facility in support of flying operations to RAAF Base Curtin. The health facility will be providing the following capabilities of primary health, support to aerospace operations, dental and environmental health to deployed to RAAF Curtin. HSW will also be prepared to provide augment 321 and 322 CSS staff and to provide health support to a Remote Reporting Post (RRP).

Air Lift Group (ALG)

No. 84 Wing (84WG):

No. 33 Squadron (33SQN) will be supplying a B-707T tanker to provide Air-to-Air refuelling for ‘blue' force's FA-18 aircraft. Air-to-Air refuelling provides extended operating windows for ‘blue' forces, significantly enhancing their strike capabilities.

No. 86 Wing (86WG):

No. 36 Squadron (36SQN) and 37 Squadron (37SQN) will be supplying C130 Hercules aircraft to provide transport of personnel and equipment to and from PB06.

Surveillance and Response Group (SRG)

No. 41 Wing (41WG):

41WG will be providing Aerospace Battle Management, Aircraft Control and airspace surveillance operations for both Blue and Red forces for Exercise Pitch Black from the Darwin , Curtin and Tindal areas.

No 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit (114MCRU) based at RAAF Base Darwin, will deploy a Mobile Control and Reporting Centre (MCRC) to the PB06 AO. The 114MCRU MCRC will provide 'Blue' Aerospace Battle Management (ABM), aircraft control and air surveillance operations. Aerospace Battle Management will be achieved by combining radar pictures from a deployed radar (AN/TPS-77), Air Traffic Control radars located at Darwin and Curtin and data supplied from a visiting Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) E2C Hawkeye Airborne Surveillance and control aircraft. (And the RAF E-3D)

3 Control and Reporting Unit (3CRU) will deploy from RAAF Base Williamtown to the Northern Region Operations Centre (NORTHROC) at RAAF Base Tindal to provide 'red' ABM, aircraft control and airspace surveillance operations. NORTHROC will achieve aerospace battle management by combining the radar pictures from various sources. These sensors will include, a deployed TPS-77 radar, a local Tindal Air Traffic radar, data supplied from a visiting Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) E2C Hawkeye Airborne Surveillance and control aircraft, as well as data provided from passive electronic sensors deployed in the exercise area.

No. 44 Wing (44WG):

In addition to providing personnel for the Commander of Air Operations, 44WG will provide air traffic control services at Darwin, Tindal and Curtin RAAF Bases and provide an air operations briefing to all the units that will be deployed in the exercise.

Air traffic controllers from 44WG will enable the large numbers of aircraft flying out of and within Darwin 's airspace to proceed unhindered on their missions. At times there may be up to 50 aircraft flying from Darwin in the same mission and considerable logistical expertise and coordination skills are required to guide this unusually heavy traffic.

Air Surveillance:

Regional Operation Centres consist of a surveillance crew, working under the direction of junior officers and senior airmen, perform a range of functions

Junior airmen are employed in monitoring the radar tracking, and maintaining the clarity of the picture, such as filtering out false returns. Other airmen search civilian and military information systems for flight details that match with the various radar tracks. The Identification Officer, a more experienced operator, uses this information in order to produce a Recognised Air Picture (RAP).

Once the air picture is created, it may be sent to other customers via a normal phone line or using a range of automated data exchange systems. Specially trained airmen operate these systems.

Due to the complexity of the operating systems employed, a number of airmen are normally employed to manage the configuration of the various radars, radios and information systems.

During PB06 Air Surveillance Operators (ASOPS) will operate from RAAF Base Williamtown at the Regional Correlation Centre to create the RAP which will be utilised by the ‘Red' Air Control Centre within NORTHROC. ‘Blue' Air will conduct their Air Surveillance from their deployed radar cabins at the MCRC.

Aerospace Battle Management:

Air Defence Officers operating from the Tactical Control Centre (TCC) direct air operations once the air picture has been compiled. The TCC is normally manned by a number of junior officers, who are assigned a piece of airspace or a number of aircraft to control. These controllers are supervised and directed by a senior air controller called the Weapons Director, who manages the wider air battle and is responsible for aircraft safety.

Specialist advisers from the army, navy or civilian air traffic control agencies are also present at times to help liaise with agencies that are not part of the TCC.

With a ‘bird's eye view' over the air battle, controllers are employed to provide situational awareness to friendly aircraft. While a high update rate of consistently changing information may be required, the controllers' primary responsibility is for ensuring the safety of the aircraft under their control. Safety is achieved by providing positional information of aircraft, directing safe separation and engaging in thorough planning.

Aircraft missions can increase in complexity from number to aircraft and types of activities involved.

The aircraft controller also provides the interface with military Air Traffic Control to manage the sequence of aircraft returning to airfields to ensure that all aircraft arrive safely.

During PB06, controllers will execute their duties for Blue and Red air from the MCRC at RAAF Base Curtin and NORTHROC respectively.

Australian Regular Army (ARA)

Airfield Defence:

The Australian Army's 16 Airfield Defence (AD) Regiment will deploy approximately 15 personnel to Exercise Pitch Black. 16AD and personnel from the Royal Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will provide a variety of Airfield Defence support roles to Exercise Pitch Black.

The International Scenario Participants and their Roles:

French Air Force (FAF)

Observers who will be employed the AOC at RAAF Base Glenbrook.

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

RSAF will have both blue and red force roles.

No. 111 Squadron (111SQN) E-2C Hawkeye aircraft and personnel;

No. 112 Squadron (112SQN) KC-135R aircraft and personnel;

No. 143 Squadron (143SQN) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and personnel; and

No. 149 Squadron (149SQN) F-5 and Hawk-I aircraft and personnel.

Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)

RTAF will be part of blue force.

No.102 Squadron (102SQN) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and personnel;

No.103 Squadron (103SQN) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and personnel; and

No.403 Squadron (403SQN) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and personnel.

Royal Air Force (RAF)

RTAF will be part of blue force.

No. 8 Squadron (8SQN) E-3D aircraft and personnel;

United States Air Force (USAF)

Observers who will be employed the AOC at RAAF Base Glenbrook.