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Thai and Singapore F-16s to participate in "Pitch Black"

May 12, 2004 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will host the biennial exercise "Pitch Black" from July 19 to August 6. It is a huge air combat training exercise in which more than 100 aircraft and 1,500 air force personnel from France, the United States, Thailand and Singapore will participate.
The Royal Thai air force will join the exercise for the first time and will bring its F-16 Fighting Falcons.

The French air force is also participating for the first time and will be showcasing its Mirage 2000 fighter as well as its KC-135 Stratotanker.

Singapore will, besides its F-16s, also contribute the Hawkeye tactical warning and control aircraft and its KC-135.

The US Marine Corps is flying its FA-18D Hornets as well as a KC-130 air refueller while Australia will contribute its F-18s, F1-11's, C-130 Hercules and AP-3 Orions.

Both the United States and Singapore are regular players in "Pitch Black" which has evolved into a major training event over the past 25 years.

Residents of the northern Australian city of Darwin will be treated to some spectacular aircraft taking off and landing at the local RAAF base.

Held every two years, Pitch Black allows the RAAF to test its air defence systems against an airborne aggressor, as well as test how well Australian and allied nations' forces operate together.

The vast expanses of Australia's northern outback offers a perfect backdrop for Pitch Black's war games; war games designed to test the RAAF air defence systems against an airborne aggressor, as well as test how well Australian and allied nations' forces operate together.