Issue 342: Black is Back

The desired outcome of three weeks’ intensive flying is, according to the RAAF, the “development of mutually beneficial tactics and procedures and enhanced relationship building between partner nations. Exercise Pitch Black brings together international forces that work together to achieve common mission objectives and Australia’s security as a whole. ”

Hardware On The Hardstands

As with previous years, Pitch Black’s training scenario called for two opposing multinational forces (Red and Blue), based at RAAF Bases Tindal and Darwin respectively, to engage each other in the airspace above the Bradshaw Training Area and Delamere Air Weapons Range.

Excepting New Zealand, Germany and the Netherlands, every participating nation contributed air assets to the exercise.

The RAAF deployed virtually every platform in its order of battle, such as 1SQN Super Hornets, classic Hornets of 3, 75 and 77SQNs, 10SQN AP-3Cs, 4SQN PC-9/As, 33SQN KC-30As, 37SQN’s C-130J, 38SQN’s B350 King Air and 2SQN’s E-7A Wedgetail. Making their debuts in this year’s exercise were 36SQN C-17s and 5 Flight IAI Heron UASs, both operating as part of Pitch Black’s air-land integration iteration.

The next most numerically significant participant was the Republic of Singapore Air Force. It sent 16 aircraft, comprising F-15SG ‘Shikra’ Strike Eagles of 149 Squadron, F-16C/D Fighting Falcons of 143 Squadron, a G550 AEW&C platform and a KC-135R in addition to two I-Hawk ground-based air defence systems and an Agile Multiple Beam radar.

From MCAS Iwakuni in Japan, the US Marine Corps sent F/A-18Cs of VMFA-122 and a KC-130J tanker transport from VMGR-152. The US Air Force dispatched 14 Misawa-based 14th Fighter Squadron F-16CM Wild Weasels supported by 175 personnel, while two B-52Hs from Guam conducted training flights in support of PB16 (in addition to a commemorative flyover of Canberra for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan).

The Royal Thai Air Force’s 403 Squadron sent its recently-upgraded F-16B MLUs to Darwin, supported by a 601 Squadron C-130H, while Indonesia’s TNI-AU deployed F-16As from 16 Squadron.

France and Canada both committed transports, the Armée de l’Air deploying a CASA CN-235 from New Caledonia, while the RCAF’s 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron sent a CC-130H Hercules tanker-transport which operated from RAAF Tindal.

There were a number of notable firsts at this year’s exercise. PB16 debutantes included the RAAF’s new Air Warfare Centre, 36SQN’s C-17s and 5 Flight’s Herons, and the first ever deployment of a specialised SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) capability courtesy of the USAF’s F-16 Wild Weasels (having been ‘dragged’ from their Japanese base by a 33SQN KC-30, itself unprecedented).

Heralding a greater role for EW training ahead of the EA-18G Growler’s looming introduction into the RAAF, PB16 also saw the first ever deployment of the Joint Threat Emitter, a high-end training aid promoted by Northrop Grumman having the ability to mimic single and double digit surface-to-air and anti-aircraft artillery radar systems, thereby “accurately training combat aircrews to defeat or avoid integrated air defence systems (IADS) in a war-like training environment. ”

It’s a juggling act. GPCAPT GLENN BRAZ

Director’s Chair

OC 82WG, GPCAPT Glen Braz was Director of Exercise Pitch Black 2016, and along with his team helped to ensure that essential elements of air power, such as control of the air, precision strike, air mobility and ISR, were combined cohesively at PB16.

“It’s a juggling act,” GPCAPT Braz told Australian Aviation. “But it’s one that everyone contributes to positively, and we achieve excellent outcomes across the board. It’s an opportunity to validate that we know what we can do, individually, and demonstrate we can do it as a team when we’re more effective. And to build those relationships that really enable that large force team execution of complex air campaigns, and we come together to do that as a team and to gain confidence and trust.

“All of that is part of our broader regional and global strategy for relationships and teamwork for stability and peace. ” In order to maximise the return on investment of time and effort, a high tempo of operations is conducted, according to GPCAPT Braz.

“We’ve got two weeks of large force employment (LFE) where we fly two waves four days a week, and one on a Friday. We end up with about 15 LFE activities for the whole exercise, plus a range of other low intensity periods. And that’s on top of the integration training we do in the first week which is very much focused on smaller scale, 1 v 1, 2 v 1, 2 v 2 maybe up to 4 v 4. ” The cooperation between participating nations in the three-week exercise extends to the comprehensive mission planning that occurs well in advance of Pitch Black’s flying schedule.

GPCAPT Braz outlined how partner air forces ensure they extract the greatest benefit from their time in the Top End. “Some countries are flexible and go with the flow, some countries turn up with a very specific requirement. In the planning cycle, during the intermediate and final planning conferences, that is the key focus for us. We ask participants, ‘What would you like to get done?’ We mould the activity around that as much as we can. While it’s a complex environment with many aircraft, we do our utmost to ensure the training outcomes for each nation are maximised. It takes some compromises but in the end everyone goes away happy. ” And while requests for different training scenarios are considered, Pitch Black remains at its core an exercise designed to help the airborne warfighter fight to the target and back again while dealing with as wide an array of simulated threats as possible.

“[We focus] largely on offensive counter-air (OCA). It is that scenario where we seek to push into a contested environment to control the air and to allow other functions to occur. That might be dynamic targeting, it might be deliberate strike, or a combination of both. This year, OCA dominated from a brute force perspective. We are doing some integration with land forces but our ongoing intent is to focus on air-to-air. We’ll evolve the exercise in terms of the low intensity period [between mass sorties], where we integrate what I’d characterise as low signature land forces. ”

The theme for ongoing growth in the future for this exercise will be ISR and EW. GPCAPT GLENN BRAZ

Land-air

In line with the objectives of Plan Jericho, Pitch Black is seeing the gradual incorporation of land-air integration, which saw a number of tactical missions being flown by types such as 5 Flight’s Heron and AMG’s C-130J and C-17 airlifters. In this scenario, the Heron was used to perform ISR ahead of transports inserting special forces personnel and material into a contested battlespace.

“Our role is to have full motion video and comms with people on the ground to try to facilitate attacks and to provide ISR back to the customer, who in this exercise could be either a ground controller, who is integrating with other airborne aircraft, other nations flying similar aircraft to the RAAF or back to the task unit HQ in Tindal and Darwin,” 5 Flight’s SQNLDR Luke Connell explained.

“Anything that is gathered out in the field by our full motion video captures is then fed back through the information system into the Air Force to be able to target further missions down the stream. ” “We rolled it into the low intensity period. One of the key differences this year was we took the high intensity periods which were focused on large force fighter employment and between the high intensity waves, we operated a low intensity period where we generated large wing ISR, airlift and air-land integration activity as well as the remotely-piloted ISR assets,” GPCAPT Braz explained of how the use of the unmanned Heron fitted into the larger exercise picture.

“It’s a great way, in a realistic scenario, to exercise some interesting training iterations with those assets without overlaying them on an incredibly complex air war, which is not a realistic scenario and complicates the training in that environment. ” Pointing to the future of UAVs in subsequent Pitch Blacks, GPCAPT Braz offered, “I think it’s something that we will continue to grow in the future, but I think the theme for ongoing growth in the future for this exercise will be ISR and EW. Obviously the changes we’re bringing to Delamere and with Growler will assist in that evolution of this exercise. ”

The Electronic Realm

In recognition of the fundamental importance of the electronic spectrum in modern warfighting, Pitch Black 2016 featured a sophisticated array of EW threats and training opportunities.

Parked in a remote patch of the Delamere weapons range were two RSAF Raytheon Improved Hawk SAM systems, while the USAF contributed dedicated SEAD assets in the form of the Block 40/50 F-16CMs of the 14th Fighter Squadron. This Japan-based unit spent Pitch Black flying offensive counter-air role for Blue Air, using its simulated AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles in concert with its Raytheon ASQ-213A HARM Targeting System (HTS) and Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod.

“As the United States pivots towards the Pacific, as we interact more and more with our partners, and the countries here at Pitch Black, it’s a great opportunity for us to build those alliances, learn from each other and also to set up relationships that we can use in the future,” 14th FS commanding officer Lt Col Mark Heusinkveld said.

“Deploying to an exercise like Pitch Black is a lot of work. Taking 175 personnel and 14 aircraft all the way across to another continent is something we need to train to do and something we need to be good at. This exercise allows us to train to that and we’ve got a lot out of that so far.

“There are things the USAF can learn from the RAAF and vice versa and other partner nations in Pitch Black. Finally what we learn is how to integrate with so many diverse countries and capabilities and being able to take all of those capes and putting them into a single mission is something that you have to train to, you can’t just read a book and learn that. PB allows us to do that. ” Another significant USAF contribution to this year’s exercise was the deployment of Northrop Grumman’s air transportable Joint Threat Emitter. A high fidelity training aid, the JTE brings a range of capabilities that will no doubt be of interest to the Australian Government ahead of the E/A-18G’s introduction into RAAF service next year. Put simply, the JTE can simulate a wide range of current SAM systems, and can be networked into a larger simulated integrated air defence system (IADS), resulting in highly realistic training for Growler and non-Growler aircrew alike.

And while the ADF has announced no formal requirement for the JTE – GPCAPT Braz made no reference to the system in his comments to Australian Aviation – it would be logical to assume it could eventually form part of the government’s proposed $348 million Growler Airborne Electronic Attack Capability Facilities Project.

As for Growler’s likely active participation in future Pitch Black exercises, GPCAPT Braz, the officer commanding the Wing that will introduce the capability next year, commented, “Growler for ADF is a huge capability step and we’re still coming to terms with exactly what it means for the rest of our joint effect and we work through that at exercises like this.

“As to the benefits [Growler] will offer participating nations in future Pitch Blacks, it’s twofold. Firstly, we’ll integrate Growler into the large force employment context that we’re currently doing on Pitch Black, which will effect our execution of offensive counter-air and strike against ground and air threats that we provide in this exercise.

“And secondly, the influence of Growler will extend into that enhanced ground threat replication that we will see roll out across Delamere. That will mean higher fidelity training scenarios for our participating nations that is unrivalled in the region and they very much relish the opportunity to train in that space. ”

Deep Into The Dark

With round-the-clock operations having been a feature of aerial warfare since its inception, nocturnal flying training remains a necessary part of any large force training exercise. With the greatly appreciated forbearance of the local populations of Darwin and Katherine, planners of this year’s Pitch Black were able to contemplate, then execute, mass night takeoffs and simulated engagements.

“Night flying adds a layer to complexity that’s important to the ADF in terms of our mastery of the environment and our ability to operate in all weather and in day/night,” GPCAPT Braz explained. “It’s something we pride ourselves on and Pitch Black is another opportunity to continue to develop that. We don’t get to choose to only operate in the daytime. We have to be ready at night, it’s challenging sometimes but we have to step up to those challenges in training so we’re ready in operations. ”

Pitchfeedblack

For visiting aircrew, used to the constrained, crowded airspace of their home environments, Pitch Black represents something of a military pilot’s nirvana. Vast open spaces, the ability to fly supersonically and at low altitude over land with few air traffic control restrictions is an opportunity appreciated by all participant air forces. Coupled with the high tempo of simulated operations and realistic training, Pitch Black has much to offer.

“We get very good feedback for many reasons,” GPCAPT Braz commented.

“Some of it is to do with complexity, and challenges and the time the crews have relatively simple problems to deal with but they’ve got a large number of aircraft. And we carefully calibrate that up gradually. For some of the more current or recently trained participants, depending on what they’ve done in recent times, turning up for the first week of large force employment may not be a challenge, but for others who aren’t as current in such things, it’s a good stepping stone to the more complex execution that we do in the final week of the exercise, where we start to blend the talent a little more and give the planning teams a more focused challenge.

“It’s a very broad training audience and we do have to cater for that. But we can focus the training requirements on individual needs, depending on who might be the mission commander or what the mission scenario is on the day. There is no baseline scenario that rolls through the entire exercise; there are tailored scenarios per event. And that allows us to really customise the training. ” GPCAPT Braz was keen to acknowledge the contribution of a wide array of stakeholders in making this year’s Pitch Black a success, in particular the newly minted Air Warfare Centre at RAAF Edinburgh.

“The outstanding success of Pitch Black is a testament to the dedication of the teams that plan and shape the exercise framework and put it all together. That wasn’t me – I was a very lucky recipient to oversee the execution of that,” GPCAPT Braz said.

“And with AWC, we really saw their ability to provide a multi-discipline team that can design and execute these sorts of complex training environments. They have the horsepower and expertise at the AWC to pull that together. It’s an outstanding result from high calibre, multi-discipline, very experienced warfighters. They got their brains together and put together an outstanding training environment. ” With lessons to be digested, planning will soon begin on Pitch Black 2018, with all the myriad benefits to regional cooperation and preparedness it will bring.