Philippine Air Force FA-50PH Golden Eagle multirole fighters touch down at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Australiaon July 13, 2026. (Maddy Butcher/Australia Defence Department)
Fighter jets have begun arriving in Australia for air combat drills that will involve more than 100 aircraft from the United States and 19 other nations, the Royal Australian Air Force announced Tuesday
Four Philippine Air Force FA-50PH Golden Eagle multirole fighters touched down at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, according to images released Monday by the Australian Defence Department
The landing marked the first arrival of fighters for Exercise Pitch Black, according to an Australian air force news release
The air force bills Pitch Black as its largest international exercise, with “complex, combat-like scenarios across one of the largest military training areas in the world.”
The drill in Darwin from Sunday until Aug. 7 brings together 2,500 personnel to train at air force bases in Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory and Amberley in the east coast state of Queensland, according to the release
“The Philippine Air Force is proud to once again contribute to this world-class exercise and we remain committed to learning, collaborating and flying safely throughout the mission,” Col. Thomas Ryan Seguin, commander of the Philippine contingent, said in the news release
A Philippine air force fighter crew arrives at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin on July 13, 2026, for the biennial Exercise Pitch Black. (Maddy Butcher/Australia Defence Department)
The Philippine and Australian air forces are growing closer, Wing Cmdr. Rowan Paice, the senior officer at RAAF Darwin, said in the release
“This reflects the growing strength of the Australian-Philippines defense relationship, built on a shared commitment to regional security, professionalism and close cooperation,” he said
Australia and the Philippines, both U.S. allies, share concerns about China’s growing military power, territorial disputes and influence in the Pacific
Australian troops have trained regularly in the Philippines this year, including at the annual Balikatan exercise involving U.S. forces in April and May
Other participants in Pitch Black include Brunei, Canada, Fiji, Finland, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom
Pacific Air Forces did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday afternoon seeking details on U.S. participation
During 2024’s Pitch Black, the Air Force deployed F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Tindal while Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys operated from Darwin
Air Force
Asia/Pacific
Seth Robson
Seth Robson
Seth Robson is a Tokyo-based reporter who has been with Stars and Stripes since 2003. He has been stationed in Japan, South Korea and Germany, with frequent assignments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Australia and the Philippines.
