The Republic of Korea Air Force announced today that it will participate in the '2026 Pitch Black' multinational joint air exercise, which will be held at RAAF Base Darwin in Australia from July 17 to August 7.
Pitch Black is a multinational joint air exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force. This year, approximately 110 aircraft from 16 countries will participate, including F-35A fighters from the United States, Japan, and Australia, as well as Rafale jets from India and Typhoon fighters from Spain and Germany.
The Air Force is deploying six KF-16 fighters from the 20th and 38th Fighter Wings and approximately 100 personnel to conduct joint air operations with participating nations.
Three KC-330 multi-role tanker transports and three C-130 transport aircraft will support the deployment of the fighters, personnel, and equipment.
The KF-16 squadron is scheduled to take off from Seosan Air Base on July 15 and fly approximately 5,900 km for about 7 hours and 30 minutes, receiving aerial refueling from the KC-330s to reach the destination without any intermediate stops.
During the exercise, the Air Force fighters will conduct various joint air operations, including air interdiction, defensive counter-air, and aerial refueling, alongside the forces of participating countries.
Ha Jeong-mi, the exercise group commander and head of the 20th Fighter Wing's Air Operations Group, stated, "This is a great opportunity to enhance our joint operational capabilities and interoperability by training with air forces from various countries." She added, "We will participate with pride and a sense of responsibility as representatives of the Republic of Korea, and we will fully demonstrate the skills and expertise we have honed."
(Photo: Courtesy of the ROK Air Force, Yonhap News)