Exercise Pitch Black 2026 officially opens in Darwin

Aircraft from the United States, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Republic of Korea, India, Singapore, Germany, France and Spain, as well as embedded personnel from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, Brunei, Malaysia, Finland and Sweden, will all take part in this year’s exercise.

The biennial exercise is an opportunity to strengthen relationships among our partners and allies by building interoperability through realistic, high-end training from RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory, and RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.

“Australia is strongest when we work closely with our partners. Exercise Pitch Black strengthens those partnerships and demonstrates Australia’s commitment to working closely across our region to support peace, stability and security,” the PM said.

“I’m proud to officially open Exercise Pitch Black here in Darwin where it has been hosted for more than 40 years. It’s another reminder of the important role the Territory plays in Australia’s defence and our engagement with the region.

“I thank all of the Australian Defence Force men and women, our international partners and the people of the Northern Territory for helping make this year’s exercise such a success.”

Members of the public can also attend an upcoming Mindil Beach Flying Display on Thursday July 23 from 5pm to 6.30pm, and the RAAF Base Darwin open day on Saturday, 1 August.

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“Territorians understand the important role our home plays in Australia’s defence, and Exercise Pitch Black puts Darwin at the centre of one of the world’s most significant air combat exercises,” said Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans Affairs and Northern Australia, Luke Gosling.

“We’re proud to welcome around 2,500 personnel from 20 nations to the Territory to train alongside the Royal Australian Air Force and build the relationships that help keep our region secure.

“Pitch Black also brings a real energy to Darwin, and I encourage locals to get down to the Mindil Beach Flying Display and RAAF Base Darwin open day to see some of the world’s most advanced aircraft up close.”

Exercise Pitch Black was first held from RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales in June 1981 as a 3-day air defence exercise with ‘attacking’ aircraft flying from RAAF Bases Amberley and Richmond. It was held there again in July 1982.

The exercise was held at RAAF Base Darwin for the first time over 9–13 May 1983. It included RAAF Mirage III fighters and F-111C strike jets as well as international participation from the United States Air Force. It was the first major RAAF exercise to be conducted in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy hit the city in 1974.

The name ‘Pitch Black’ is believed to refer to the emphasis on night-time flying over large unpopulated areas during these early exercises, although the exercise was not conducted on moonless nights as some have suggested.