RAF Wittering squadrons deployed to Australia for Exercise Pitch Black
Drivers and chefs from RAF Wittering were deployed to Australia to support a multinational training exercise.
Hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Exercise Pitch Black saw about 100 aircraft and 2,500 personnel from 17 nations train together for three weeks.
Held biennially, the large exercise was based primarily from RAAF bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern territory.
RAF Wittering's drivers from No 2 Mechanical Transport (2MT) Squadron and No 1 Expeditionary Logistics (1EL) Squadron were deployed to Australia for the training.
They are specially trained to operate vehicles safely in an airfield environment and refuel aircraft. The pace was extraordinary, with enough fuel to fill four Olympic size swimming pools issued in August alone.
Air Specialist Declan McTrusty, a driver with 1EL Squadron, has found working with other nations enormously rewarding.
He said: “Working with the other nations has been an awesome opportunity, especially the Aussies.
"They are dead down to earth and amazing workers; always there if you need a hand and proper team players. It’s amazing what we can do as a team and I think this exercise has really shown the true air capabilities we have when we work alongside all these nations.”
The squadrons are part of the RAF A4 Force. Ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, the A4 Force is comprised of specialist engineering and logistics squadrons that support military air operations and exercises in the UK and abroad.
No 3 Mobile Catering Squadron (3MCS) sent a detachment of military chefs to Exercise Pitch Black.
Corporal Neal Harding has been an RAF Chef for 18 years and found the exercise challenging but rewarding.
He said: “It was a busy few weeks when the exercise got going, and we were feeding 600 plus.
"It was good exposure for the less experienced chefs to cater on a larger scale, a task that they adapted to very well. Overall it has been an excellent experience and probably one of the best deployments that I'll do within my time in the RAF.”