PAF planes join Australia-led exercise

Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 and US Air Force’s B-52H bomber aircraft fly over the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on Feb 19, 2024. —file photo/Philippine Air Force

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is sending its light fighters for the first time overseas to join the Australia-led multilateral exercise which begins later this week.

Exercise Pitch Black 2024, which will run from July 12 to Aug. 2 in Darwin, Australia, is the biggest in the exercise’s 43-year history, with 20 nations, over 140 aircraft and approximately 4,435 personnel taking part.

Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, spokesperson for the PAF, said the PAF would send four FA-50 light fighters, its interim aircraft while preparing for the acquisition of multi-role fighters.

READ: PH to send 6 FA-50s, 125 personnel in Australia’s ‘Pitch Black’ drills

“This marks the first time the Philippines will deploy air assets to participate in an international exercise outside of the country, making it a monumental event in the history of the Philippine Air Force,” she said in a statement.

The first batch of the PAF contingent arrived in Darwin, Australia, on Sunday. PAF airmen were ferried by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30 aircraft, while their equipment was transported by the RAAF C-130 and PAF C-295 aircraft, Castillo said.

The main PAF contingent will fly to Darwin in the coming days.

The Philippines and Australia have four security deals: the 1995 memorandum of understanding on cooperative defense activities; 2012 Visiting Forces Agreement; 2015 comprehensive partnership agreement; and 2021 Mutual Logistics Agreement.

This year’s exercise will focus on offensive counter-air and air interdiction operations in a multi-national coalition environment, Castillo said.