Australia-Led Air Combat Exercise Kicks Off With Participation From 16 Nations

Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft conduct a flypast of HMAS Sydney during an air warfare serial off the coast of New South Wales, Australia, on Dec. 11, 2020. LSIS Leo Baumgartner/ADF

Australia kicked off a large-scale joint military exercise on Aug. 19 with 16 allied nations, including Germany, amid growing concern over China’s military threat surrounding Taiwan.

The biennial Pitch Black military exercise, hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force, involves more than 100 aircraft and 2,500 personnel. The drill spans the Northern Territory and Queensland and will last through Sept. 8.