The Air Force said on the 14th it will take part in the "2026 Pitch Black" exercise to be held at Australia's Darwin base from the 17th to Aug. 7.
The Pitch Black exercise is a multinational combined air force drill hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force. Since 1981, it has been conducted to enhance regional security and improve allied combined operations capabilities. This year's exercise will include Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France.
From the Korea Air Force, the 20th Fighter Wing and the 38th Fighter Group will participate. Six KF-16 fighter jets and about 100 service members will be dispatched. In addition, three KC-330 multirole aerial refueling and transport aircraft and three C-130 transport aircraft will support the deployment of materiel.
An advance team aboard a KC-330 departed first the same day, and the KF-16 formation will take off from the Air Force's Seosan base on the 15th. After that, they will head to Australia nonstop with aerial refueling support from two KC-330s. The flight will take about 7 hours and 30 minutes, and the travel distance is expected to be about 5,900 kilometers.
When the Korea Air Force training contingent arrives at Australia's Darwin base, it will undergo an acclimation period before starting about two weeks of training. Pilots will conduct local acclimation flights from the 20th to the 24th, and in the main exercise starting on the 27th, they will carry out various combined air operations, including air interdiction, defensive counterair, and aerial refueling.
In particular, Korea Air Force pilots will serve as mission commander (MC), overseeing tasks for the multinational combined package. They will perform the "team lead" mission, leading the team that simulates air threats from enemy air power, which will verify combined operations command capabilities and improve realistic combat proficiency.
Meanwhile, this year's exercise will feature more than 110 aircraft from 16 countries, including the F-35A of the U.S., Japan, and Australia air forces; the Rafale of the Indian Air Force; and the Typhoon of the Spanish and German air forces.