To build a capability to deploy, at short notice, a high number of personnel and assets to areas far from Italy. This is the new challenge of the Indo-Pacific air campaign for the men and women of the Italian Air Force
Darwin – It started on 12 July’international exercise PITCH BLACK 2024 organised by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The Italian Air Force is taking part, for the first time, in the training activity, on Darwin Air Base, from 12 July to 2 August 2024. At the end of Pitch Black 2024, Italian Air Force aircraft and personnel will relocate to Misawa in Japan for the Rising Sun 2024 of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF). As part of the Italian Air Force's Indo-Pacific air campaign, joint training with the Italian Navy is also planned through the embarkation of two Italian Air Force F-35Bs on the aircraft carrier Cavour, as part of a major organisational effort by the entire Defence sector (for further details: www.difesa.it/primopiano/litalia-in-australia-per-lesercitazione-internazionale-pitch-black-24/54695.html).
It Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, General Luca Goretti, he emphasised, during a meeting with all the campaign staff,’Indopacific 2024, its importance as “a new challenge, as part of the strategy that the Italian Air Force has developed over the last few years, to enhance its logistical projection capabilities and be able to move quickly from one point of the Earth to another, when necessary, to support the Armed Force’s operational component. The Indo-Pacific Air Campaign is part of this project, which has recently seen deployments to Japan with the F-35s and to Alaska for the Red Flag exercise. Now we are heading to Australia for Pitch Black, together with our colleagues from the Italian Navy, continuing a strong friendship and collaboration that has lasted for several years now, and then to Japan for Rising Sun 2024: and we are doing all this while remaining fully able to ensure and maintain both national and NATO commitments. The Defence sector is making a substantial leap in quality and you are the proof of that“.
The Pitch Black 2024 It is one of the most complex and realistic military air exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. Organised by the Royal Australian Air Force, involves a total of 20 nations (Italy, Australia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, UK, USA, Brunei, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand).
The Italian Air Force's participation for the first time in the Indo-Pacific air campaign it allows training in the ability to deploy a high number of personnel and vehicles in a short timeframe (Large Force Element) and demonstrate, through effective sustainment logistics, that it is able to operate while producing significant effects even at a long distance from Italy, in safeguarding national interests.
English version
Italian Air Force: Pitch Black 2024 exercise started in Australia
Preparing a capacity to deploy, in a short time, a large number of personnel and vehicles in areas far from Italy. This is the new challenge of the Indo-Pacific air campaign for the women and men of the Italian Air Force
Darwin – The international exercise PITCH BLACK 2024, organised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), commenced on 12 July. The Italian Air Force is participating for the first time in the training activity, held at the Darwin air base, from 12 July to 2 August 2024. At the conclusion of Pitch Black 2024, Italian Air Force aircraft and personnel will relocate to Misawa (Japan) to join the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) for Rising Sun 2024. As part of the Italian Air Force's Indo-Pacific air campaign, joint training with the Italian Navy is also scheduled, involving the embarkation of two Air Force F-35Bs onto the Cavour aircraft carrier, as part of a significant organisational undertaking for the entire defence sector (for more details: www.difesa.it/primopiano/litalia-in-australia-per-lesercitazione-internazionale-pitch-black-24/54695.html).
The Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Gen. S.A. Luca Goretti underlined, during a meeting with all the personnel of the Indo-Pacific 2024 campaign, the importance of the activity as a “new challenge, within the strategy that the Italian Air Force has developed over the last few years, to strengthen its logistical projection capabilities and be able to move, in a short time, from one point of the Earth to another, when needed, to support the operational component of the Italian Air Force. The Indo-Pacific area is part of this project which has already seen redeployments recently, in Japan with the F-35s and in Alaska, for the Red Flag exercise. Now we are going to Australia for Pitch Black 2024, together with our Italian Navy colleagues, in the sign of a strong friendship and collaboration that has now lasted for some years, and then in Japan for the Rising Sun 2024: and we do all this while always remaining able to ensure and maintain both national and NATO commitments. The Defence sector is making a substantial leap in quality and you are proof of this.“
Pitch Black 2024 is one of the most complex and realistic military air exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. Organised by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), it involves a total of 20 nations (Italy, Australia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, Brunei, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand).
The participation of the Italian Air Force, for the first time, in the Indo-Pacific air campaign makes it possible to train the ability to deploy a large number of personnel and vehicles (Large Force Element) in a short time and to demonstrate, through effective logistical support, the ability to operate while producing significant effects even at great distances from Italy, in order to protect national interests.
