The Indian Air Force deployed four Rafale fighters, two C-17 transport aircraft and over 120 air warriors to Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black 2026, scheduled 20 July–7 August and hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force.
Exercise Pitch Black 2026
- Nature: Multinational large-force air combat exercise conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force in northern Australia.
- Venues: RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal and Amberley.
- Dates: 20 July–7 August 2026.
IAF Contingent
- Assets deployed: Four Rafale fighters and two C-17 Globemaster III transports.
- Personnel: More than 120 air warriors deployed with the contingent.
- Firsts: First participation of IAF Rafale aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black.
Participants and Scale
- Participation: About 19–20 allied and partner nations.
- Scale: Up to 100 aircraft and over 2,500 personnel expected in the exercise.
- Primary focus: Interoperability, combined operations and advanced combat flying training.
Platform Facts
- Rafale: Twin-engine multirole fighter by Dassault Aviation; configurable for air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.
- C-17 Globemaster III: Strategic heavy-lift transport for long-range airlift, rapid deployment and airlift of outsized cargo.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Quad membership: India and Australia are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue alongside Japan and the United States.
- RAAF host role: Pitch Black is RAAF’s principal multilateral air combat training event for force integration in the Indo-Pacific.