First Set Of Female Fighter Pilots Learning Aerial Combat

Four months after getting commissioned, the first set of female fighter pilots, who are now allowed in combat role, have already started their simulation training on the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer at the Bidar air force station (AFS) in Karnataka.

The IAF officials have announced that the three female fighter pilots, Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth have entered their second phase of training and are learning air-to-air combat and air-to-ground combat tricks on the Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft at the airbase, reported Daily Mail.

The three fighter pilots have successfully completed their initial training. Now they will have to complete 150 hours of training at Hawk before graduating and getting deployed at the actual fighter planes.

After training on the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft, the pilots will move to the third stage where they will learn to fire armaments from their planes.

Also read: SC Backs Permanent Commission Of Female Pilots

Inducting women in combat roles started out as an experiment by the Defence ministry to see if women could become a part of the Indian Air Force. Completing the training and then getting fully inducted has become crucial for these women to decide the future of women in the IAF and whether or not they could be inducted in combat roles.

The Indian navy and army are still dealing with operational issues before officially inducting women in combat roles.

After the three phases of training are over for these female fighter pilots, they will be inducted in the operational front line squadrons of planes such as the Su-30 and the Mirage 2000 where they would be involved in daily operations.

Picture credit- The Hindu