The Air Force will participate in the Australia-led Pitch Black multinational exercise beginning this week, officials said Monday, as South Korea seeks to sharpen joint operational capabilities and deepen cooperation with participating nations.

Six F-15K fighters and some 100 troops will join the biennial exercise that will run at an Australian military air base in the northern city of Darwin from Friday through Aug. 2, according to the Air Force.

Three KC-330 tanker aircraft and three C-130 aircraft will first depart for the exercise Monday ahead of the deployment of the F-15K fighters from an air base in Daegu on Wednesday, it added.

This year’s exercise is set to bring together some 130 aircraft from 16 nations, including the U.S. F-22, Italy’s F-35B, France’s Rafale and India’s SU-30MKI fighters, the Air Force said.

South Korea first took part in the biennial exercise in 2022, deploying six KF-16 fighter jets.

Source: Yonhap News Agency