Japan's F-35s Push Past First Island Chain in 100-Jet Exercise Pitch Black
Twenty-one nations and around 100 aircraft have gathered across northern Australia for Exercise Pitch Black, one of the largest and most complex multinational air combat drills in the Indo-Pacific. The exercise comes just weeks after China's ballistic missile test across the Pacific and follows the Australia-Japan-US Exercise Southern Cross, where the three air forces achieved a new level of "interchangeability" by refueling, rearming and relaunching each other's F-35 fighters. With six ASEAN countries also taking part, the drills highlight a growing network of regional military cooperation extending well beyond traditional US allies. Is Australia emerging as a key hub for coalition operations in a future Indo-Pacific conflict? And what do these exercises reveal about preparations for a potential Taiwan contingency? In this episode, we examine the strategic significance of Pitch Black, the evolution of allied airpower and Australia's expanding role in regional security. *Recorded on July 23, 2026 at 4pm Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Planner: Miguel Yang Research Assistant: April Lin Videographer: Damon Lin Our guests: Tsai Jung-hsiang - National Chung Cheng University Political Science Professor Guermantes Lailari - Jewish Policy Center Senior Non-Resident Fellow Andrew Phelan - Former Australia-China Council Scholar
