Exercise Pitch Black (XPB) is one of the largest exercises in the RSAF’s calendar. Set in the top end city of Darwin, Australia, XPB gives our airmen and women the opportunity to train in a vast training airspace over 20 times that in Singapore – larger than that of Exercise Red Flag in the United States.
This exercise also allows us to pit ourselves against and alongside some of the most advanced air forces around the world, flying various platforms and tactics, allowing us to be interoperable with our foreign partners, and more adaptable to potential treats.
This year, we deployed five F-15SG, six F-16C/D, a KC-135R Stratotanker and a G550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft. This year’s XPB is also the largest ever, with 140 aircraft and up to 4,000 personnel from 16 participating nations.
Photographing Exercise Pitch Black is one of the most visually exciting assignments for any RSAF photographer. Not only being able to see a wide variety of foreign platforms, the RSAF also conducts a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions in both day and night conditions.
Check out these shots by ME1 (NS) Chen Chuanren who was at #ExPitchBlack2018!