News United States Air Force
 Pitch Black 2022 concludes international interoperability exercisePublished Sept. 12, 2022
                        
                        By Staff Sgt. Savannah Waters
                **ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE DARWIN, Australia (AFNS) --**
                Approximately 110**Pacific Air Forces**Airmen participated inexercise Pitch Black 2022, the Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Air Force’s biennial capstone international engagement activity with forces drawn from a wide range of regional, coalition and allied nations. This year, 17 nations participated in PB22 from Aug. 19 — Sept. 8.The exercise focused on the tactical execution of Large Force Employment Offensive Counter Air and Counter Land operations in a multi-national coalition environment to enhance interoperability among the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines,South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom forces.“The objective of the United States is to have a free and open Indo-Pacific for all nations within this region,” said**Gen. Ken Wilsbach**, Pacific Air Forces commander. “The main idea behind our strategy in the Indo-Pacific, specifically PACAF, is to work withallies and partners, and Pitch Black represents a perfect place for our air forces to train together and become interoperable.”Pitch Black 2022 concludes international interoperability exerciseSenior Airman Baylee Koke, 67th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, waits to marshal an F-15C Eagle during exercise Pitch Black 2022 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australia, Sept. 1, 2022. Air operations were conducted in northern Australia over the exercise period with forces predominantly based at RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal, hosting up to 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft from around the world, combining efforts to better integrate multilateral defense capabilities and enhance interoperability in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res
    
    Pitch Black 2022 concludes international interoperability exerciseSenior Airman Edwin Guerrero, 67th Aircraft Maintenance Unit assistant dedicated crew chief, marshals an F-15C Eagle during exercise Pitch Black 2022 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australia, Sept. 1, 2022. Approximately 110 Pacific Air Forces Airmen participated in PB22, the RAAF chief of air force’s biennial capstone international engagement activity with forces drawn from a wide range of regional, coalition and allied nations. This year, 17 nations participated in PB22 from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res
    
    Pitch Black 2022 concludes international interoperability exerciseA U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle taxis before takeoff during exercise Pitch Black 2022 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australia, Sept. 1, 2022. Pitch Black 22 is a model opportunity for expanding engagements with allies and partners across the globe, demonstrating the resolve to promote security and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-ResUp to 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft from around the world operated from RAAF Darwin and RAAF Tindal to conduct air operations in northern Australia, combining efforts to better integrate multilateral defense capabilities and enhance interoperability.
Pitch Black began in 1981 and was initially limited to Australian participation until 1983, when the U.S. became the first international participant. Many participants have joined Pitch Black since then, with the goal of enhancing combat readiness and interoperability between partner nations. This year is the firstyear the South Korean air force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and German air force fully participated.Staff Sgt. Mackenzie Cea, 18th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment craftsman, has been stationed in Europe, theSouth Korea and now Japan and was excited to work with all those nations at once.“Every time I’ve worked with either partner, I’ve found them to be incredibly kind and hospitable,” Cea said. “I can see the excitement on their faces being out here in Australia and conducting missions with us. Seeing how excited our partners are to work with us makes me excited to do what we do.”
The first Pitch Black since the**COVID-19******pandemic, PB22 hosted multiple community engagement events to include aflypast at Mindil Beach, an Open Day and local youth program integrations.Pitch Black 2022 concludes international interoperability exerciseStaff Sgt. Logan Crider, 67th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, waits for an F-15C Eagle to taxi during exercise Pitch Black 2022 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australia, Sept. 1, 2022. PB22 is the latest in long standing, multilateral exercises designed to enhance participating countries’ air operations. This year, 17 nations are participating in PB22, from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res

    









Both theflypast and Open Day garnered thousands of attendees to learn more about the multilateral exercise and each nation’s respective Air Forces, and local community youth members had the opportunity to tour the**F-15C Eagle**with U.S. Airmen.“Pitch Black 22 has been a phenomenal opportunity to work with a number of partners we don’t normally interact with,” said Capt. Ross Kohler, 67th Fighter Squadron F-15 pilot. “Both on the ground and in the air, communication is the key to successfully operating as a joint force. By breaking down barriers to communication in training, we exponentially increase our ability to respond with our partners to any contingency that might arise in the region, and that training is invaluable.”Pitch Black 2022 



Pitch Black Exercise 



Australia 



United States Air Force 



Allies and Partners 



interoperability exercise 



USINDOPACOM 



LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



PACAF 



Pacific Air Forces 



RAAF Base Darwin 



Royal Australian air force 



exercise 



training 



Pitch Black 



RAAF Tindal 



F-15C 



eagle