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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Ibang level na!' Teodoro lauds PAF pilots in 'Pitch Black' exercise

'Ibang level na!' Teodoro lauds PAF pilots in 'Pitch Black' exercise

Published Aug 8, 2026 04:53 pm

At A Glance

  • A Philippine Air Force fighter pilot became the first Filipino to qualify as a force commander in Exercise Pitch Black 2026, leading a package of 40 fighter aircraft and a multinational strike team of about 20 aircraft.
  • Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. described the Filipino contingent's performance as "absolutely inspiring," stressing the precision, coordination, and speed required in modern air operations.
  • The PAF joined 21 nations and up to 100 aircraft in the multinational exercise in Darwin, Australia, from July 20 to Aug. 7, using its FA-50PH fighter jets to enhance interoperability and operational readiness.
Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. with members of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) contingent to Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Darwin, Australia. (Photo: PAF)
Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. with members of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) contingent to Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Darwin, Australia. (Photo: PAF)
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. praised the Philippine Air Force (PAF) contingent’s performance in Exercise Pitch Black 2026, highlighting a Filipino fighter pilot who became the first from the country to qualify as a force commander.
Teodoro visited the PAF contingent at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Darwin in Australia on Friday, Aug. 7, where he witnessed the Filipino participants’ performance in the biennial exercise.
The Filipino pilot ed a strike team composed of around 20 aircraft from five nations, and successfully executed large force employment mission with close to 60 aircraft during the exercise, a task that required precise coordination among participating air forces.
“It's awesome, so to speak, and it's humbling,” Teodoro said on the sidelines of the third Philippines-Australia Defense Ministers' Meeting.
The defense secretary described the performance of the Filipino contingent as “absolutely inspiring,” since he noted that the missions required precision, high-level coordination, and speed.
For Teodoro, the accomplishment was not limited to the pilot who took command in the air as he also credited the ground personnel and other members of the Philippine contingent who supported the operations.
“What's also there [is] the importance of those on the ground and those who brought our people here. So it's a whole ecosystem that needs to work together, not merely the participation of one, but the crucial participation of all,” he said.
“And for us to work on the microsecond level, it is really something that each and every Filipino should be proud of,” he added.
The PAF concluded its participation in Pitch Black exercise, which ran from July 20 to Aug. 7 in Darwin, Northern Territory.
The exercise brought together 21 nations and up to 100 aircraft for large-scale air combat training. It was designed to strengthen interoperability, operational readiness and cooperation among participating air forces.
The PAF participated with its FA-50PH fighter jets which operated alongside advanced platforms from Australia, Canada, France, Fiji, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore,Spain, Thailand, and United States among others.
Pitch Black involved air-to-air refueling, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and strategic and tactical airlift operations, allowing participating forces to train in a realistic multinational environment.
The exercise was held at several Australian air bases, including RAAF Base Darwin, RAAF Base Tindal, and RAAF Base Amberley.

Related Tags

PAF Pitch Black DND Australia Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
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