India and South Korea took part in joint air drills during the ‘Pitch Black’ exercise in Australia. This year’s event was the biggest in its 43-year history, with 20 countries, over 140 aircraft, and 4,400 military personnel. The Indian Air Force brought Su-30MKI fighter jets, along with C-17 Globemaster and IL-78 refueling planes. South Korea sent six F-15K fighters and about 100 troops.
The Indian Air Force contingent included over 150 skilled personnel, such as pilots, engineers, technicians, and controllers. The exercise, which was originally scheduled from July 12 to August 2, faced a disruption on July 24 due to the crash of an Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jet. Despite this setback, Australian officials confirmed that the military exercises resumed over the Northern Territory skies.
During the biennial multinational exercise, the performance of South Korea’s F-15K and India’s Su-30MKI fighter jets was highlighted. These exercises provide a platform for comparing the capabilities of different aircraft, sometimes raising questions about the relative strengths of adversarial jets.
India and South Korea Join Largest-Ever ‘Pitch Black’ Air Drills in Australia
Historically, such comparisons have been made, like after the 2008 Red Flag exercise where US Air Force pilots noted the impressive performance of Indian pilots but also observed that American fighters were losing their edge against Russian-made Su-30MKIs.
In the aftermath of these exercises, anonymous US Air Force pilots shared their assessments online, with some making unverified claims about the Su-30MKI’s thrust vectoring capability.
They described how the Su-30MKI’s maneuverability, while impressive, could also lead to rapid altitude loss, which they believed could be exploited in combat scenarios. One pilot noted how the Su-30MKI’s vectored thrust caused it to lose altitude so quickly that it provided an opportunity for easy targeting.
These exercises and subsequent discussions underscore the importance of international military collaborations in assessing and understanding different fighter jets’ capabilities. The interactions between the Indian and South Korean air forces during ‘Pitch Black’ not only showcased their skills but also fostered mutual understanding and learning, contributing to global defense readiness and cooperation.
