27 July 2012
Media Release
Defence Force Trains with Multinational Forces

Group personnel from the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 209 (Expeditionary Support) Squadron depart for Darwin tomorrow to participate in a multi-national air combat exercise, PITCH BLACK 12.

The Field Training Exercise (FTX) involves RAAF, Australian Army, and international participants from the United States, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and New Zealand.

“PITCH BLACK 12 will be the largest FTX for 2012, and will involve a combination of day and night flying from RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal," said 209 SQN Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Darryl Cockroft.

“The exercise provides our people with exposure to the planning and conduct of air operations within a large scale coalition environment. It enables us to practice deployed operations in a medium to high level threat environment, and for Ground Support personnel to develop and enhance the skills necessary for carrying out operations away from New Zealand.

“Moreover, ours will be a Joint contribution to the exercise, with the 209 SQN Detachment including NZ Army Regular and Reserve Force personnel from 2 Combat Services Support Battalion and 3 Auckland North Battalion Group.

“It’s been an exciting and busy period getting ready to participate in PITCH BLACK 12. We are looking forward to the opportunity to exchange information on air and ground training procedures and equipment with the other foreign force participants, and further develop interoperability with them in an air-focussed, FTX setting.”

The majority of exercise participants will depart Base Auckland on an RNZAF Boeing 757 on Saturday at 9:00 am, and will return to NZ around 18 August 2012.
Ends

Visit our website at www.airforcemil.nz