Exercise Pitch Black brings 21 nations' warplanes to northern Australia

Australia is hosting Exercise Pitch Black 2026, a three‑week air combat drill in the Northern Territory that involves more than 2,500 personnel from 21 nations. The exercise features aircraft from the United States, Japan, India, Singapore, France, Germany, Indonesia, Spain and others, with first‑time appearances of Japanese F‑35 jets and Indonesian T‑50I Golden Eagle trainers. Host nation RAAF Air Commodore Matthew McCormack highlighted the joint planning and complex training scenarios, saying the event strengthens relationships and demonstrates a shared commitment to regional peace. Analysts noted the conspicuous absence of China, underscoring the exercise's strategic signalling.

As part of the drill, the Spanish Air Force deployed an Expeditionary Air Group that includes two A330 MRTT tanker aircraft – among the longest-range military transport planes in Spain's fleet. The tankers performed multiple in‑flight refuelings for Eurofighter Typhoons, marking one of Spain's longest overseas deployments. The participation of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Finland, Sweden and other Pacific neighbours further emphasizes the broad, multi‑regional cooperation underpinning Pitch Black.