THE RAAF is bringing an added attraction to this year’s Katherine Show.
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The big air force hot air balloon will be at the show tomorrow and Saturday.
The RAAF is bringing attention to Exercise Pitch Black 18, the RAAF’s biennial, capstone International Engagement activity with about 15 Air Forces participating from a range of regional, coalition and allied nations.
All flying and displays are subject to change due to weather conditions.
Pitch Black 18 is a large-scale operational collective training activity with tactical execution of Offensive Counter Air (OCA), Air Interdiction (AI) and Air Land Integration (ALI) in a multi-national coalition environment.
The exercise will be conducted in Northern Australia from July 27 to August 17, with forces predominantly based at RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal and a forward operating base at Batchelor Airfield.
The exercise aims to strengthen regional partnerships, improve interoperability between nations and promote regional stability.
The exercise will include day and night flying involving up to 140 participating aircraft.
Pitch Black involves up to 2500 personnel and more than 100 aircraft from around the globe.
Pitch Black 18 will involve participants from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.
This year will mark the first involvement of new RAAF aircraft such as the E/A-18G Growler and C-27J Spartan.
The exercise will include day and night flying missions on week days from July 27 with a flying display on August 2.