http://www.defence.gov.au/pitchblack/

One of the largest Pitch Blacks to date. This year will see the first participation of the French AF's Mirage 2000/C-135FRs as well as Royal Thai AF F-16s, which will carry out a joint ferry trip (including AAR with KC-135Rs) with the RSAF.

The last Pitch Black confirmed quite a bit of suspicions regarding the capabilities of the RSAF. We shall see if theres more this time round.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_news_article1077.html

Thai and Singapore F-16s to participate in "Pitch Black"
Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 07:30 AM

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.

Pray tell what capabilities? The ability to fight or not?

Nope, equipment wise.

And is there a hint of cynicism in your question? ;)

Ah I see.

Nah, just asking if realistic exercises revealed any "little shockies" or not.

Viper,

What were the "suspicions" regarding the capabilities of the RSAF?

Cheers

:ph43r:

I presume you were talking abt the "spine" right ? B)

Nah, the spine is old hat. Been around since 1998. B)

At least one of the pics from Pitch Black 02 showed an RSAF pilot wearing DASH, and all the F-16Ds carried the 600gal tanks.

The 600 gallon tanks were first deployed on IAF F16s weren't they? Made exclusively to increase the range of Israeli falcons, I believe they proved their importance from the successful bombing of the Osiris nuclear ractor complex in Iraq, no?

Existence of P4/5 and CFT!!!! :o

Is the CFT able to be use on the existing 52?

Or was the 52+ involved last year?

The 52+ was not around in the last pitch black.

600 gals tanks are just normal drop tanks carried on pylons, not CFT.

Yes, it was initially developed by the IAF. No they were not used during Osirak in 1981.

But what does it have to do with its association with the RSAF during Pitch Black 02?

My point was that 600gal tanks were seen for the first time on an RSAF Viper during the exercise. ;)

BTW, I've had reports of Mirage 2000s and a C-135FR of the Armee de l'Air landing at WSAP during this afternoon (12 July). Almost certainly on their way to Australia's Top End.

It will be the most interesting Pitch Black exercise. The Mirages are going to give RSAF Vipers and RAAF Bugs a run of their money. Wonder if the exercise will include BVR engagements. Mica armed Mirages may possibly cream all Amraam armed Vipers and Bugs.

Hopefully RSAF and RAAF will also try out their HMS WVR engagement. Will be most interesting to see how DASH3/Python4 vs JHMCS/Asraam compare against each other ;)

Erm, not sure where this is leading to.

When you mentioned 600 gallon tanks, I automatically presumed that the RSAF was gearing up for deep level interdiction/SEAD missions. Don't know what you're hinting at...

Not a technical expert here but this means that you can fly or loiter longer.

It also means doing away with the need for refuelling tanker for certain missions. One of the "dead giveaways" are the refuelling tankers. Know where they are and you know an attack is imminent and you know where the attack is coming from.

One other counter-defense methods used is to target these refuelling tankers, though I suspect it's easier said than done.

Ahhh...I see now. Too much was read into my initial comments. :D

I mentioned new capabilities on the RSAF F-16Ds shown in the form of new equipment (ie 600gal tanks). I never meant it as speculation as to what it could or could not be used for, just stating that it was a new piece of equipment never seen before on RSAF Vipers prior to Pitch Black 02.

BTW, the ADF Pitch Black website has been updated, some new pics of RSAF and RTAF F-16s that have just landed in Darwin. Now the F-16Cs are seen carrying the 600s as well.

http://news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=14219

The U.S. Navy is conducting CARAT with Malaysia and it seems that 3 Hornets Squadron from Atsugi Naval Air Station is in Kuantan for the exercise as well. I guess they will be flying with/against the MiGs as well.

https://www.atsugi.navy.mil/cvw5/CVW5/index.htm

A lot of exercises involving the RSAF concurrently or consecutively, Pitch Black follows a Commando Sling...

===============

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_news_article1091.html

Osan's 36th Fighter Squadron participates in exercise Commando Sling 04-3
Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 12:58 PM

Airmen and F-16s from the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, have deployed to Paya Lebar AB in Singapore to train with Singaporean Airmen during exercise Commando Sling 04-3. The exercise runs until June 14 and provides a U.S. presence in Southeast Asia and realistic dissimilar air-to-air combat training for forces of both nations.

Lt. Col. Mark DeLong, commander of the deployed 36th FS, said the exercise is one of the best training opportunities for his pilots. Because of limited training with other aircraft in Korea, the experience they have gained here is invaluable.

Nearly every sortie or mission is against dissimilar aircraft. Acoording to DeLong, "The knowledge and skills of some of our pilots has quadrupled in the short amount of time we've been here."

The exercise includes Osan F-16 Fighting Falcons, and Singaporean F-5, A-4 and F-16C aircraft.

More stories and photos here:
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123007878
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123007848

...and also Ex Elang Indopura with the TNI-AU.

=================

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore...,261170,00.html?

SINGAPORE, INDONESIA HOLD AIR EXERCISE

SIXTEEN aircraft and 320 personnel from the air forces of Singapore and Indonesia are involved in a 13-day military exercise that began last Wednesday.

Exercise Elang Indopura began at Paya Lebar Air Base and will culminate in air manoeuvres at Pekan Baru Air Force Base in Indonesia, where fighter jets will go on sorties, transport aircraft will deliver supplies, and helicopters will carry out search-and-rescue missions.

The two air forces will also provide medical services and distribute food packages to the community in Siabu, Pekanbaru.

Cool bananas... seems like RSAF schedule is pack to the brink. So many exercises held within the same period.... Isn't the Five Power Naval exercise going to happen soon too... Isn't the exercise also involves RSAF?

BTW, I haven't seen any pics of the A/B Vipers for a long time... are they still flying or being put in "cold storage" ... ;)

BTW, have you guys noticed that RSAF trains with RAAF, USAF, RTAF and TNI-AU but not RMAF???? :D

a point to note, it seems that the RSAF only trains with RMAF under the FDPA arrangement, when is the last time we trained with RMAF outside the FDPA framework?

i can only remember two joint exercise between the two armies in the late 80s.

and the annual malapura naval exercise... msia did called off the exercise in the late 90s. but resumed thereafter. last year the exercise was held in lumut naval base.

mutual suspicion....good leh.....the brits expected that before their pullout in 1971....that is why they formed the FDPA......after so many years still like that.....something never change with time...i think within my lifetime, there will still be suspcious and distrust for one another....

It's normal that RSAF exercises are packed to the brim. Even when there's no major exercises, we also fly until die. Poor us AF techs. Anybody experience doing drop tank PT before? Imagine carrying a drop tank with about 700 lbs of fuel in it with 7 guys and fit onto the aircraft and worst still with a "green" armourer. :D Die man. A lot of capabilities already known to us techs long ago, but didn't say becos its classified and it will always be. Even when it's declassified, we will not talk becos it may be leaked by someone ignorant, not by Mindef.

logically will load the tank first and then top it up with fuel. Is it possible to do that?

Instead of hauling and lifting a full tank.

I asked this question somewhere and I will ask again. Don't know whether anyone can answer.

I noticed that most jets trained without loading dummy weapons. but if you see pictures of jets on combat operations like GW etc they are always loaded with weapons like AMAAM, AIM9, HARM, LGBs etc etc.

Is there any difference in performance betwen a/c loaded with weapons and a/c wihtout weapons.

If the diffeence is significant, isn't most exercises "unrealistic".

The RTAF are ex USAF ADF type F16A. Can see the four IFF antenna in front of cockpit.

in terms of aerodynamics, there will be lesss drag if less dummy weapons are carried. which means that you need to carry less fuel to haul fuel.......

the ex is just to hone skills and interact, it is not red flag.....

Actually, if we're talking dummy weapons, theres no difference. A dummy weapon is to simulate a real weapon, so the weight between a real and dummy weapon is the same.

Now ACMI pods would weigh different from live weapons, although seeing that RSAF's ACMI pods are built from Sidewinder bodies, I doubt the difference would be that much.

PS. The ADF's Pitch Black website has been updated, the gallery now has photos of the RSAF, RTAF and French arrivals, as well as some of the participants of the ADF. Theres also a short video of the arrival of the RSAF and RTAF F-16s.

The two-seater F16s should have smaller internal fuel capacity. With the additional weight of the dorsal spine and its avonics, probably need the 600 gal tank just to give it proper range.

The Iserali uses CFTs to give the F16 Strategic interdiction capability. The 600 gallon tank is nothing lah.

One quesiton to use the 600 gal tank, is it just a matter of buying the tank, or must the hardpoint be strengthened. Notice that the RTAF F16s uses smaller tanks.

The fuel capacity difference between a C and D is slight. The 2nd cockpit in the case of the F-16 required the moving about of a few air scoops and black boxes.

As for the 600s, no structural changes are needed. The 600s come with their own pylons which are different from those used by the 370s. The RTAF Vipers use the 370s because they don't have the 600s.

RSAF F-16Ds taking off on a Pitch Black night mission with pilots wearing NVGs!

Australian Defence Force Pic (Hi-res)

I remember reading a F16 magazine. A test pilot doing testing on all new F16s at LM.

He will fly in clean configuration with no external tanks.

FOr single seat F16, one sortie is enough to do all the checks. For two-seat F16 two sorties required due to smaller internal fuel capacity.

Crew and pilots from U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 102, 192 and 195 pose with counterparts from the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) No. 6, 17 and 19 Squadrons in front of an RMAF MiG-29. left, an RMAF Hawk, center and an F/A-18F Super Hornet during an aircraft display and photo session that wrapped up a 10-day combined air exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Chuck Bell.

http://www.alert5.com/archive/2004_07_18_a...037611357848301

From the pic, how do you tell that the pilot is wearing NVGs?

Looks like NVGs to me too. I wonder if they ever deploy the DASH-3 helmets as well.

so small also can see....

can.... just have to select the Hi-Res picture, zoom in to the front pilot. His forehead(helmet) has a NVG attached.

Darwin man jittery over Sparrow droppings
The RAAF admitted that an AIM 7 Sparrow training missile had dropped accidentally from an F/A-18 Hornet fighter returning at night to its base in Darwin. The two-metre, 103-kilogram missile slammed into a carefully restored 1974 Toyota utility.