One of Australia's seven Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A multi-role tankers has been taking to the skies from RAAF Base Tindal in recent days to support air-to-air refuelling missions as part of the international Pitch Black warfare training exercise.
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The former Airbus A330, which was gutted to add additional plumbing for fuel before 270 seats were reinstalled to give the RAAF additional transport capacity, carries 110 tonnes of fuel to supply to aircraft either via a boom or two pods.
Yesterday, the KC-30A circled in the wide open Territory air space above the Victoria Daly Region, playing a key role in refuelling several Typhoons in the air, as well as Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) Rafales that have travelled more than 14,000 to Australia to take part in the exercise.
![With enormous precision, at a speed of about 275 knots, receiver aircraft line up alongside the multi-role tanker KC-30A and plug into the refuelling pod, where they receive between five and eight tonnes of fuel. With enormous precision, at a speed of about 275 knots, receiver aircraft line up alongside the multi-role tanker KC-30A and plug into the refuelling pod, where they receive between five and eight tonnes of fuel.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181547318/0c97ae31-bb1d-4f73-aeef-7c6b84e42a4d.jpeg/r0_134_715_630_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
With enormous precision, at a speed of about 275 knots, receiver aircraft lined up alongside the multi-role tanker and plug into the refuelling pod, where they receive between five and eight tonnes of fuel.
The tanker, which flies with a pilot, co-pilot, one air refuelling officer, one mission coordinator and up to eight crew attendants, is compatible with numerous aircraft, including F/A-18A/B Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, E/A-18G Growlers, E-7A Wedgetails, C-17A Globemaster IIIs, as well as P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft, F-35A Lightning II, and foreign aircraft such as the F-16C Fighting Falcon and B-1B Lancer.
The currently Tindal-based KC-30A supports this year's Exercise Pitch Black's refuelling missions alongside three KC-30As from Singapore, the UK and a collection of NATO countries, that currently fly out of Darwin, as well as three multi-role tankers from RAAF Amberley in Brisbane.
Having previously been deployed to the Middle East, the KC-30A conducted air-to-air refuelling flight testing with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force for the first time in the history of the RAAF earlier this year, refuelling Japanese Mitsubishi F-2 aircraft.
At the time Air Commander Australia, Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie, said the successful flight test program would facilitate the increasing complexity and sophistication of bilateral engagement.
"Our ability to work seamlessly together will ensure we can continue to uphold and reinforce a secure, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific region," Air Vice-Marshal Goldie said.
The RAAF operates a fleet of seven KC-30As from RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, but earthworks are currently underway at RAAF Base Tindal to build a new 52,000 square metres parking bay which will be enable the RAAF to park four KC-30A at Tindal.
As part of the United States Force Posture Initiative Airfield Works RAAF Tindal upgrades will also involve extending the runway 11,000 feet and widening runway shoulders from 3 metres to 10.5 metres.
Two new operational readiness platforms at each end of the runway will also be constructed, and an existing secondary taxiway will receive upgrades to accommodate larger aircraft.
A new air movements terminal and a proposed aviation fuel farm that will provide a storage capacity of six mega litres of fuel, are also among upgrade plans for Tindal.
![Earthworks for upgrades to RAAF Tindal are underway. Earthworks for upgrades to RAAF Tindal are underway.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181547318/f957f3d3-2673-44be-a26f-1bf3c261ef61.png/r24_18_867_475_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Squadron Leader Public Affairs No. 464 Squadron, Eamon Hamilton, said Tindal had traditionally played a big role in Pitch Black.
"Pitch Black started in 1981 and moved to Darwin in 1983 - that's when Tindal was first used," he said.
"The new upgrades will make a significant difference to the strategic importance of RAAF Base Tindal into the future."
Pitch Black is the RAAF's most significant international engagement activity with forces participating from a wide range of partner and allied nations developing and enhancing military relationships at all levels.
"Exercises such as this are pivotal to ensuring the Air Force remains ready to respond whenever the Australian Government requires," a RAAF spokesman said.
"The training and integration of forces that occurs during this exercise directly supports the Air Force's ability to conduct operations.
"Activities such as Exercise Pitch Black recognise Australia's strong relationships and the high value we place on regional security and fostering closer ties throughout the Indo-Pacific region."
![The special-livery German Luftwaffe Eurofighter 'Air Ambassador'. Picture via Bundeswehr / Luftwaffe. The special-livery German Luftwaffe Eurofighter 'Air Ambassador'. Picture via Bundeswehr / Luftwaffe.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181547318/d69d135d-660f-4409-9c57-830017d03b37.jpg/r0_23_476_314_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Every two years, 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 force integration, utilising one of the largest training airspace areas in the world - Bradshaw Field Training Area and Delamere Air Weapons Range, about 175km from Katherine in the Northern Territory.
This year, the exercise hosts almost 2500 personnel and 100 aircraft from around the globe including France, Indonesia, India, Singapore, UK, the Philippines, Thailand, UAE, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand and the US.
For the first time, Germany, Japan and the Republic of Korea are also participating in the exercise, with Germany bringing a special-livery Eurofighter to Darwin for the occasion.
Pitch Black wraps up on September 15.