Exercise Pitch Black 2016 has launched day and night flight operations once again over the skies of Australia's Northern Territory.

This year we play host to more than 2.5K defence personnel from various countries including our allies from the United States, New Zealand, Indonesia, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand.

Hosted every two years by the Royal Australian Air Force, the concentration of elite military hardware (this year about 115 aircraft are reportedly taking part) is a haven for plane spotters and photographers alike.

Unfortunately I have not been able to submit a request to be embedded media this year due to other obligations, but nothing stopped me from catching a quick few take-offs and approaches to RAAF Darwin on Day 1 of flying.