Participating in 'Pitch Black' such as Air Force KF-16... The first overseas training alone

In the course of the Air Force's participation in overseas joint exercises, it is the first to directly conduct an aerial refueling operation.

The Air Force announced that it will participate in the large-scale multinational joint exercise '2022 Pitch Black' to be held at the bases in Darwin and Amberley, Australia from the 29th to the 7th of next month.

To this end, six KF-16 squadrons take off from the Air Force Central Base and depart for Australia.

One KC-330 multi-purpose aerial refueling transport aircraft and 130 troops will also participate.

In particular, in the process of deploying fighters to participate in this exercise, the KC-330 directly conducts an aerial refueling mission for the first time, and also conducts refueling operations in the Australian mission airspace.

The South Korean Air Force participated in the 'Red Flag' joint exercise held at Eilson Air Force Base in Alaska and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in the past, with US air refueling support.

Pitch Black is a large-scale multinational joint exercise held every other year. This year, about 100 aircraft from 10 countries including Korea and Australia, the US, the UK, and France will participate.

The Air Force observed the Pitch Black training five times from 2010 to 2018 at the request of the Australian side, and will participate in person this year.

(Photo = Yonhap News)