A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet flies in to Darwin for exercise Pitch Black 2014 Exercise Pitch Black , the biennial...

A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet flies in to Darwin
for exercise Pitch Black 2014

Exercise Pitch Black, the biennial war exercise in the skies of the Northern Territory hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force is now a routine part of the top end lifestyle.

For a few weeks every other year the RAAF and air forces from our friends and allies simulate war games to practice Offensive Counter Air and Defensive Counter Air combat to keep their pilot's skills honed and strategically current. It's also a great chance for photographers, military buffs or aviation fans alike to get an eyeful (and earful) of some great military hardware.

I remember in my primary school years climbing on to the roof of my parent's house and watching in amazement as a USAF F-16 Falcon twisted and turned directly overhead. engaged in dogfighting maneuvers with the RAAF fighter of the day, the Mirage III. Those days are long since gone, the Pitch Black format has changed considerably over the years, mostly due to public noise complaints. The public opinion is as divided on the Pitch Black noise issue as they are on Territory Day Fireworks noise. Interestingly enough though I managed to ask the director of pitch black media what the statistics were on noise complaints, the answer was surprisingly low. In fact like a lot of things that are portrayed as being a big "public issue" it is a very vocal minority who actually cause a fuss and get the coverage solely on hype. The majority of residents do not seem to mind the noise interruption for the few weeks window every two years.

Fortunately we still see the planes fly in and out of Darwin air base but their exercises are now done further afield on defence bombing ranges and over crown land.