PH Air Force to send pilots to Australia for training in July

MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be sending its pilots for extensive training in Australia in July 2024.

Col.Consuelo Castillo, PAF Public Affairs chief, said that the exercise dubbed Pitch Black 24 (PBK24) will be conducted at the Royal Air Force Base in Darwin from July 12 to August 2.

Castillo said Philippine pilots will focus on Offensive Counter Air and Air Interdiction in a multinational environment.

The PAF pilots' training came after two weeks of rigorous combat maneuvers between Philippine-US Air forces in the Cope Thunder 24-1 held in Basa Air Base in Florida, Pampanga.

The eleven-day bilateral military training involved air-to-ground operations, logistics, and other mission support planning and execution with 700 airmen from various PAF and USAF units.

Castillo said the Cope Thunder exercise played a crucial role in preparing the PAF for the upcoming large force employment missions during the Balikatan 2024 war games set on April 22.

The Cope Thunder-PH is tentatively scheduled to have a second interaction in June.

As to the Australia exercise, Castillo said the Air Force will be sending planners, pilots, and crew, and for the first time, shall be sending aircrafts to participate in the said event.

«The PAF aims to successfully and safely participate in the PBK24, integrating PAF assets to Large Force Employment in the Multilateral interoperability exercise, in order to improve TTPs and doctrines for combined air operations,» Castillo said.