Stealth fighters prepare to dogfight over Australian Outback during Pitch Black drills
By SETH ROBSON
STARS AND STRIPES • August 23, 2022
DARWIN, Australia — Air Force jets and Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters will engage in dogfighting practice involving as many as 80 planes at a time over northern Australia this month and next.
Pitch Black 2022, which includes more than 100 aircraft from 10 nations, began with integration flights Friday and will include night missions and large-scale simulated air combat starting next week until Sept. 8, Royal Australian Air Force Group Capt. Matt McCormack, the exercise director, told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday.
The Pitch Black official website shows 2,500 personnel from 17 nations and numerous fast jets participating. They include Australian F-35As and EA-18G Growlers, U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles, French Rafales, German and British Typhoons, South Korean, Singaporean and Indonesian F-16 Fighting Falcons, Japanese F-2s and Indian Sukoi SU-30MKI Flankers.
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2022-08-23/pitch-black-australia-f35-exercise-7077481.html
