German Luftwaffe Eurofighters, American F-22 Raptors take to Aussie skies

Travelling to Australia as part of the Rapid Pacific deployment, the Luftwaffe arrived in the Northern Territory earlier this month with more than 200 personnel, six Eurofighter Typhoons, three A330 multi-role tanker transports and an A400M transport aircraft.

And it's not the only overseas air force in town.

Raptor aircraft from the United States Air Force (USAF) arrived at the RAAF Base Tindal on Thursday, in preparation for several weeks of the Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC) program training and activities.

This activity is happening at the same time as Exercise Pitch Black, but is separate instead taking place under the United States Force Posture Initiative said Air Vice-Marshal Darren Goldie, Air Commander Australia.

"The F-22 Raptors have arrived in the Northern Territory as part of the EAC Program," AVM Goldie said.

"This program has been in place since 2017, which builds on a broad range of long-standing air exercises and training activities undertaken between Australia and the United States.

"It is the same program that recently saw B-1 Lancer aircraft visit RAAF Base Darwin in June during Exercise Diamond Storm and also B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers visit RAAF Base Amberley recently in July, integrating into Exercises Koolendong and Arnhem Thunder.

"It is testament to how well our two Air Forces assimilate, that these incredible aircraft are able to visit our bases and utilise our infrastructure and support services, so we can all train closely with one another."

Chief of the German Air Force Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz said this was the first time the German and Australian air forces would be training together.

"The Indo-Pacific is of great importance to Germany," Lieutenant General Gerhartz said.

"We share the same values with many partners in this region."

"Defending those values in case of a war emergency and being able to support our partners is something that needs to be practised."

En route to Australia, one of the highly anticipated Eurofighter Typhoon, the 'Air Ambassador' with special livery, experienced a hydraulic fault, which necessitated urgent repair in the United Arab Emirates.

The German Eurofighter is a multi-role aircraft employed in air-to-air as well as air-to-ground combat - both at close range and from a long distance.

Only recently, the German government agreed to procure F-35 aircraft to replace the Tornado weapon system, with Pitch Black providing an opportunity to integrate more closely with Australia's F-35A.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"The F-35 aircraft will further expand the broad spectrum of our capabilities," Lieutenant General Gerhartz said

"Since the Royal Australian Air Force is already flying this combat aircraft, we will be able to learn from them as well."

Following Exercise Pitch Black, the Luftwaffe will participate in Exercise Kakadu before continuing their Rapid Pacific deployment to Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Lieutenant General Gerhartz is set to fly in a Eurofighter himself during Exercises Pitch Black and Kakadu, and through to Japan following the exercises.