Go Bold #26: Stories from the Cockpit: Group Captain Matthew McCormack on RAAF Exercise Pitch Black 2022

Go Bold is recognized for the diverse discussions that we have with warfighters and senior leaders from around the world. Today's episode continues that trend with our guest, Group Captain Matthew McCormack, a highly qualified F/A-18 Hornet and F-35 fighter pilot and senior leader with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).Our discussion focuses on the Australian-led multi-national large force employment exercise, called Pitch Black.Through Exercise Pitch Black, the RAAF demonstrates its commitment to building professionalism and enhancing military relationships for the safe and effective conduct of air operations.Group Captain McCormack was the exercise director of this years Exercise, which is the RAAF’s most significant international engagement activity, with forces participating from a wide range of partner and allied nations across the globe.Pitch Black is a biennial exercise -- this year it took place between August 19 and September 8, 2022, and it hosted over 2,000 personnel and over 80 aircraft.The exercise included day and night flying with each mission executed as a stand-alone serial with distinct training objectives.The training and integration that occurred during the exercise recognizes the high value that Australia places on fostering closer ties through multinational interoperability, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.Exercise Pitch Black is one of the largest air combat exercises in the southern hemisphere, so our conversion delves into what happened this year with multiple fighter types, air refueling tankers, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft; and we also discuss some of the complexities of training for air warfare in the modern age.We thank Group Captain McCormack for sharing his thoughts and perspectives with us.Go Bold!