The exercise is normally held in Northern Australia, primarily at RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal.
RAAF Base Glenbrook (near Sydney) is used as the command and control centre, as it would if the simulated conflict were real.
More than 2,200 personnel along with 100 aircraft belonging to Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the United States participated in the exercise.
Up to 115 aircraft and 2,500 personnel from the armed forces of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the United States participated.
Participating countries included Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.
For the first time, Brunei, Fiji, Italy, Spain, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines took part in the exercise.
It was the largest exercise to take place since Pitch Black began 43 years ago.
[18] On July 24, an Italian Eurofighter Typhoon crashed in Australia during exercises, causing suspension of air operations for that day.