Philippine Air Force joins multination war games in Australia

The Philippines will join 19 other nations in the exercise, which aims to strengthening relationships and enhance interoperability with overseas partners. Pitch Black 2024 is the largest in the exercise's 43year history, bringing together over 140 aircraft and approximately 4400 personnel from around the world.
The largest Exercise Pitch Black in #AusAirForce history is set to take. As the Air Force’s premier biennial flying activity for strengthening international engagement, Exercise Pitch Black 24 will involve 20 nations and one multinational element. This includes firsttime participation with aircraft from Italy, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Spain; and personnel from Brunei and Fiji. Together, they’ll work from RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley for three weeks of largeforce employment missions in military airspace over the Northern Territory.
The FA50 jet fighter contingents en route to Australia to participate in the annual aerial military exercise Pitch Black 2024 made a refueling stop in General Santos City.
Four Philippine FA50 fighter jets and 162 personnel are taking part in the Pitch Black war games over Australia's largely unpopulated Northern Territory, involving 20 countries and 140 aircraft
The Philippine Air Force arrived in northern Australia on Wednesday, July 10, on its first overseas deployment in six decades for combat practice alongside US and Australian fighter jets, amid a rise in tensions with China in the South China Sea.
“This is the first time they have taken their combat aircraft abroad since 1963 so it is a huge honor for Australia to be chosen as the first location for the deployment,” Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Air Commodore Pete Robinson told Reuters.
Exercise Pitch Black 2022 is the Royal Australian Air Force’s most significant International Engagement activity with forces participating from a wide range of partner and allied nations developing and enhancing military relationships at all levels. Exercises such as this are pivotal to ensuring Air Force remains ready to respond whenever the Australian Government requires. The exercise will host up to 2500 personnel and up to 100 aircraft from around the globe including participants from Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, UK, the Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand and the US. Significantly, Germany, Japan, and the Republic of Korea will be participating fully for the first time.