KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has begun conducting air combat training with partner nations in the Pitch Black 2024 Exercise in Australia.
The RMAF contingent in Australia today conducted the Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) with JAS Gripen fighter jets from the Royal Thai Air Force.
"It also participated in the Basic Fighter Manouevers (BFM) training with F-35A Lightning II jets from the Royal Australian Air Force as part of the exercise."
The RMAF said its F/18-D Hornet fighter jet yesterday had commenced the first day of flight training in the exercise during the Force Integration Training (FIT).
"The exercise phase began with Dissimilar Basic Fighter Manoeuvres (DBFM) flights with AV-88B Harrier jets from the Italian Navy.
"This phase serves as a platform for participating countries to prepare and coordinate joint operations," the RMAF said in a Facebook post.
On July 8, a total of 103 RMAF personnel departed from the Butterworth air base for the largest multinational air combat exercise in Australia.
The exercise, from July 12 to Aug 2, will see the participation of 37 RMAF officers and 66 enlisted personnel, along with three F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets and one Airbus A400M transport aircraft.
The biennial exercise will operate primarily from the Royal Australian Air Force bases in Darwin, Tindal and Amberley.
This year's exercise will mark the fourth participation by the RMAF after its previous outing in in 2008, 2018 and 2022.
This edition of the exercise will be the largest in its 43-year history, with participation from 20 countries involving 140 aircraft of various types and approximately 4,435 personnel.
Among the countries participating in Pitch Black 2024 are the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, Fiji, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei.
The execution of the Pitch Black 2024 will cover a full spectrum of training, featuring various realistic and simulated threats that can be encountered in a modern combat environment.
During the exercise, RMAF will be involved in the Force Integration Phase Basic Fighter Manoeuvres (BFM), Air Combat Tactic (Beyond Visual Range air combat training), Large Force Employment Phase (combining all fighter assets, Multi Role Transport Tanker, and Command and Control to conduct Integrated Air Operations), and Air to Air Refuelling.