Dawn of a new era as Pitch Black expands
AUSTRALIA’S defence cooperation with nuclear power India will be expanded next week when India’s air force joins billions of dollars worth of supersonic fighter jets in the skies over Darwin.
For the first time, India has sent a 145-strong contingent, including four Russian-built Su-30MKI twin-engine, twoseat super manoeuverable fighter aircraft, worth $37 mil- lion each, to take part in exercise Pitch Black.
A spokesman said along with the four Russian fighters will be a Lockheed C-130 Hercules four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft and a giant Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
The IAF has welcomed the invitation to take part in the multilateral air combat exercises for the first time and the opportunity to be a part of a “mutual exchange of best practices towards enhancing its operational capability”.
An Indian Air Force spokesman confirmed the air group had left for Darwin.
The IAF’s four fighters are flying in via Indonesia for next week’s start to the biggest international simulated air combat exercises staged in Australian airspace.
Indonesia’s fighting power will consist of eight Viper F-16s, which cost a cool $20 million each.
Australia’s fighter assets for Pitch Black of 15 FA-18A Super Hornets, 10 FA-18F Super Hornets and three EA-18G Growlers are worth around $2 billion alone without factoring in the 10 other RAAF aircraft involved.
The US has 12 F-16 Falcons and 10 FA-18C/D Super Hornets fighter jets worth more than $500 million.
France will have impressive jet fighter power with its three Rafale. The ultra mod- ern fighter costs about $100 million each and can handle a variety of missions that previously required seven different types of aircraft.
Singapore is sending 11 fighter jets (six F-16 Falcons and five F-15 Strike Eagles) worth almost $300 million.
The three-week exercise conducted from RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base Tindal is from July 27-August 17 and is expected to inject up to $30 million into the economy.