New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has now concluded its involvement in two significant international exercises in Australia and Malaysia, using its Rafale jets for multinational combat training and executing intensive combat sorties with the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The exercises “Pitch Black 2026” and “Udara Shakti 2026” offered IAF pilots an experience of engaging in combat training in different combat scenarios while operating with foreign air forces.
There were two different types of operational training in the exercises. While Pitch Black was an exercise which gathered air forces from more than 20 nations in air-combat drills, Udara Shakti concentrated on bilateral drills between India and Malaysia where Su-30MKM and F/A-18 Hornet were used.
Exercise Pitch Black 2026
The Exercise Pitch Black was conducted under the aegis of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). In this exercise, the IAF had used the Rafale aircraft to undertake LFE (large force employment) missions in a highly threatening environment. More than 20 countries had participated in this air combat exercise.
As reported earlier by RNA, this was the first time IAF Rafales participated in Exercise Pitch Black. The Indian contingent included four Rafale jets, two C-17 Globemaster III, Il-78 aerial-refuelling aircraft and more than 120 airmen, comprising pilots, engineers, technicians and other specialists
The LFE missions involved multiple aircraft operating together in different roles, requiring participating crews to coordinate their actions during complex combat scenarios. For the IAF, the exercise provided exposure to the tactics and operating procedures used by a wide range of partner air forces.
Exercise Udara Shakti 2026
The IAF then participated in Exercise Udara Shakti 2026 in Malaysia alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
The bilateral exercise centred on air combat training, with IAF aircrew carrying out high-intensity sorties and joint tactical manoeuvres. According to Malaysian media New Straits Times, the IAF deployed four Rafale fighters from No. 101 Squadron and two Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from No. 81 Squadron for Exercise Udara Shakti 2026. Indian pilots operated alongside and against Malaysian Su-30MKM and F/A-18D Hornet aircraft, allowing both sides to train against different fighter platforms and tactical approaches.
One of the important areas was that of enhancing aerial tactics along with coordination between the two entities. This drill was also conducted with the help of SMEE (subject matter expert exchange), thereby providing both Indian and Malaysian personnel an opportunity to exchange their views on operations. The involvement was not confined to the cockpit alone. The maintenance personnel and mission planners too were part of the interactions, thereby enabling both the air forces to have better knowledge about each other’s practices