The South Korean Air Force shows Air Force troops and their family members pose for a group photo in front of a KC-330 fuel tanker aircraft at an air base in Seosan, South Korea, 14 July 2026, during a ceremony to mark their participation in the Australia-led Pitch Black multinational exercise to be held at an Australian military air base in the northern city of Darwin from 17 July to 07 August. Photo by SOUTH KOREAN AIR FORCE / EPA
July 14 (Asia Today) — The South Korean Air Force dispatched personnel and aircraft Tuesday to participate in Exercise Pitch Black, a large-scale multinational air combat exercise hosted by Australia.
The South Korean contingent will take part in training activities at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin through Aug. 7.
Australia’s Defense Department said the main exercise will run from Monday through Aug. 7 at air bases in Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory and Amberley in Queensland. South Korean personnel are scheduled to arrive earlier for local orientation and preparations.
A KC-330 multipurpose aerial refueling and transport aircraft carrying mission personnel departed from the South Korean Air Force’s Seosan base Tuesday, the service said.
Six KF-16 fighter jets are scheduled to leave Seosan on Wednesday and fly approximately 3,670 miles to Darwin without an intermediate landing.
Two KC-330 tankers will refuel the fighters in the air during the approximately 7½-hour flight.
The Air Force said the deployment would demonstrate its long-distance operational capability and allow the fighters to reach Australia without stopping at another country’s air base.
South Korea is sending about 100 personnel from the 20th Fighter Wing and 38th Fighter Group.
Three KC-330 tankers and three C-130 transport aircraft will support the deployment of the fighters, personnel and equipment.
Pitch Black has been conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force since 1981. The biennial exercise is designed to strengthen regional security and improve the ability of participating air forces to conduct combined operations.
South Korea first sent KF-16 fighters to the exercise in 2022. This year marks the country’s third participation with aircraft.
The 2026 exercise is expected to involve about 110 aircraft from 16 countries, according to the South Korean Air Force.
Participating aircraft include F-35A stealth fighters from Australia, the United States and Japan, Rafale fighters from India and Eurofighter Typhoons from Germany and Spain.
The Indonesian Air Force is sending T-50i aircraft and the Philippine Air Force is deploying FA-50PH fighters. Both aircraft belong to the same family as South Korea’s domestically developed FA-50 light combat aircraft.
The South Korean contingent will conduct combined air operations with the other participating forces after completing an adjustment period in Darwin.
Australia describes Pitch Black as its premier multinational flying activity and one of its most important international military engagement exercises. The training uses the large and relatively unrestricted airspace of northern Australia to conduct complex air combat missions involving aircraft from multiple countries.
Col. Ha Jung-mi, head of air operations at South Korea’s 20th Fighter Wing, said the exercise would provide an opportunity to improve combined operational capabilities and interoperability.
“We will take pride in representing the Republic of Korea and fully demonstrate the skills and professionalism we have developed,” Ha said.
The previous Pitch Black exercise in 2024 involved about 140 aircraft and 4,400 personnel from 20 countries, making it the largest edition of the exercise at the time.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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