A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 stages in the early morning at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, Aug. 24, 2022. Exercise Pitch Black is the Royal Australian Air Force’s largest and most complex Large Force Employment exercise. Pitch Black 2022 is being conducted at RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley from 19 August to 8 September ’22. This Year’s exercise will host up to 2500 personnel and around 100 aircraft from 17 participating nations from around the globe. Activities such as Exercise Pitch Black recognize Australia’s strong relationships and the high value we place on regional security and fostering closer ties throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Exercise Pitch Black features a range of realistic, simulated threats which can be found in a modern battle-space environment and is an opportunity to test and improve our force integration utilizing one of the largest training air space areas in the world. Exercise Pitch Black aims to further develop offensive counter air, air interdiction and stick, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities, as well as foster international co-operation with partner forces.