Exercise Pitch Black 26 officially commenced 17 July 2026 in Darwin, deploying over 110 aircraft from 19 partner nations to test multinational air combat interoperability. The RAAF capstone exercise runs through 7 August 2026, with flying operations starting 20 July. India deployed four Rafale fighters and two C-17 Globemasters with 120 personnel, while South Korea executed its first nonstop KF-16 flight to Darwin. Platforms include F-35A, Rafale, Typhoon, and KF-16 aircraft from the US, Japan, UK, France, Spain, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and New Zealand. This edition marks the largest scale-up since the biennial exercise began in 2011, enhancing operational readiness across the sector.