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Afighter pilot orcombat pilot is amilitary aviator trained to engage inair-to-air combat,air-to-ground combat and sometimeselectronic warfare while in thecockpit of afighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training inaerial warfare anddogfighting (close range aerial combat). A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as anace.
Fighter pilots are one of the most highly regarded and desirable positions of any air force. Selection processes only accept the elite out of all the potential candidates. An individual who possesses an exceptional academic record, physical fitness, healthy well-being, and a strong mental drive will have a higher chance of being selected for pilot training. Candidates are also expected to exhibit strong leadership and teamwork abilities. In nearly all air forces, fighter pilots arecommissioned officers. This is also true for pilots of most other aircraft.
Fighter pilots must be inoptimal health to handle the physical demands of modernaerial warfare. Excellent heart condition is required, as the increased "G's" a pilot experiences in a turn can cause stress on thecardiovascular system. One "G" is equal to the force of gravity experienced under normal conditions, two "G"s would be twice the force of normal gravity. Some fighter aircraft can accelerate to up to 9 G's. Fighter pilots also require strong muscle tissue along the extremities and abdomen, for performing an anti-G straining maneuver (AGSM, see below) when performing tight turns and other highly accelerated maneuvers. Better-than-averagevisual acuity is also a highly desirable and valuable trait.
Modern medium and long rangeactive radar homing andsemi-active radar homing missiles can be fired at targets outside orbeyond visual range. However, when a pilot isdogfighting at short-range, their position relative to the opponent is decidedly important. Outperformance of another pilot and that pilot's aircraft is critical to maintain the upper-hand. A common saying fordogfighting is "lose sight, lose fight".
If one pilot had a greater missile range than the other, they would choose to fire their missile first, before being in range of the enemy's missile. Normally, the facts of an enemy's weapon payload is unknown, and are revealed as the fight progresses.
Some air combat maneuvers form the basis for the sport ofaerobatics:
Pilots are trained to employ specific tactics and maneuvers when they are under attack. Attacks from missiles are usually countered withelectronic countermeasures,Flares andchaff. Missiles like theAIM-120 AMRAAM, however, can actively home in on jamming signals.[citation needed]
Dogfighting at 1 to 4 miles (1,600 to 6,400 m) is considered "close". Pilots perform stressful maneuvers to gain advantage in the dogfight. Pilots need to be in good shape in order to handle the highG-forces caused byaerial combat. Pilots flex their legs and torso to keep blood from draining out of the head. This is known as the AGSM or the M1 or, sometimes, as the "grunt".[citation needed]
Many early air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles had very simpleinfrared homing ("heat seeking") guidance systems with a narrow field of view. These missiles could be avoided by simply turning sharply, which essentially caused the missile to lose sight of the target aircraft. Another tactic was to exploit a missile's limited range by performing evasive maneuvers until the missiles had run out of fuel.
Modern infrared missiles, like theAIM-9 Sidewinder, have a more advanced guidance system.Supercooledinfrared detectors help the missile find a possible exhaust source, and software assists the missile in flying towards its target. Pilots normally dropflares to confuse or decoy these missiles by creating more multiple heat signatures hotter than that of the aircraft for the missile to lock onto and guide away from the defending aircraft.[2]
Radar homing missiles could sometimes be confused by surface objects or geographical features causing clutter for the guidance system of either the missile or ground station guiding it. Chaff is another option in the case that the aircraft is too high up to use geographical obstructions. Pilots have to be aware of the potential threats and learn to distinguish between the two where possible. They use theradar warning receiver (RWR) to discern the types of signals hitting their aircraft.
When maneuvering fiercely during engagements, pilots are subjected to highG-force. G-forces express the magnitude of gravity, with 1G being equivalent to Earth's normal pull of gravity. Because modern jet aircraft are highly agile and have the capacity to make very sharp turns, the pilot's body is often pushed to the limit.
When executing a "positive G" maneuver like turning upwards the force pushes the pilot down. The most serious consequence of this is that the blood in the pilot's body is also pulled down and into their extremities. If the forces are great enough and over a sufficient period of time this can lead to blackouts (calledG-induced loss of consciousness orG-LOC), because not enough blood is reaching the pilot's brain. To counteract this effect pilots are trained to tense their legs and abdominal muscles to restrict the "downward" flow of blood. This is known as the "grunt" or the "Hick maneuver". Both names allude to the sounds the pilot makes, and is the primary method of resisting G-LOCs. Modern flight suits, calledG-suits, are worn by pilots to contract around the extremities exerting pressure, providing about 1G of extra tolerance.
Some notable fighter pilots, including some for beingflying aces and others who went on to non-fighter pilot notability (record-breakingtest pilots,astronauts andcosmonauts,politicians, business leaders, etc.):
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Until the early 1990s, women were disqualified from becoming fighter pilots in most of the air forces throughout the world. The exceptions being Turkey, whereSabiha Gökçen became the first female fighter pilot in history in 1936 and went on to fly fast jets well into the 1950s,[4] and the USSR during the Second World War 1942–1945 where many women were trained as fighter pilots in the586th Fighter Aviation Regiment includingLilya Litvyak who became the top scoring woman ace of all time with 12 kills andKatya Budanova a close second with 11 kills, although both were killed in combat.[5] During the 1990s, a number of air forces removed the bar on women becoming fighter pilots:
Bulgaria – On 30 October 1912Rayna Kasabova became the world's first woman in the world who participated in a military flight on aVoisin aircraft aboveEdirne during theFirst Balkan War.[6] France –Marie Marvingt was a record-breakingballoonist, an aviator, and during World War I she became the first female combatpilot. Marie Marvingt received a pilot's license from theAéro-Club de France (Aero Club of France) on 8 November 1910.[7] Licensed No. 281, she was the third Frenchwoman to be registered afterRaymonde de Laroche (No. 36) andMarthe Niel (No. 226). In her first 900 flights she never "broke wood" in a crash, a record unequaled at that time. Marie flew in a number of air meets, bombed a German airbase twice as an unofficial pilot in World War I, flew on reconnaissance missions in the "pacification" of North Africa, and was the only woman to hold four pilot's licenses simultaneously: balloon, airplane, hydroplane and helicopter. In 1915 Marvingt became the first woman in the world to fly combat missions when she became a volunteer pilot flyingbombing missions over German-held territory and she received theCroix de guerre (Military Cross) for her aerial bombing of a German military base inMetz.[8] Turkey – In 1936Sabiha Gökçen became world's first female combat pilot while in 1958Leman Altınçekiç was first female accredited jet pilot in NATO.[4][9] Soviet Union -Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak was a fighter pilot in theSoviet Air Force duringWorld War II.[10] She was the first female fighter pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first of two female fighter pilots who have earned the title offighter ace and the holder of the record for the greatest number of kills by a female fighter pilot. She was shot down nearOrel during theBattle of Kursk as she attacked a formation of German aircraft. She was nicknamed the "White Lily of Stalingrad". Soviet Union -Yekaterina "Katya" Budanova was another fighter pilot in theSoviet Air Force duringWorld War II and along withLydia Litvyak, she is often considered one of the world's two femalefighter aces credited with five or more aerial victories,[11] She was shot down by either Luftwaffe aceGeorg Schwientek ofJG 52 or aceEmil Bitsch, ofJG 3. Soviet Union -Mariya Kuznetsova was a Soviet fighter pilot who originally flew with the women's586th Fighter Aviation Regiment but was later transferred to the 437th Fighter Aviation Regiment withYekaterina Budanova,Lydia Litvyak, and several other members of the unit in September 1942. She flew over 100 sorties. Soviet Union -Raisa Belyaeva was one of the first Russian female fighter pilots. She fought alongsideLydia Litvyak and was credited with up to three aerial victories. She died in combat in a crash on 19 July 1943.[12] Soviet Union -Mariya Tolstova a Soviet flight commander in the 175th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment, and one of the few women to fly the Il-2. Soviet Union -Tamara Kazarinova was a Soviet pilot and the commander of the586th Fighter Aviation Regiment during the Second World War. Soviet Union -Olga Yamshchikova was Soviet fighter pilot squadron commander, credited with three shootdowns duringWorld War II who became a test pilot after the war.[13][14] During her postwar aviation career she became the first woman to fly theMiG-19.[15] Soviet Union -Tamara Konstantinova wasIlyushin Il-2 pilot and deputy squadron commander in theSoviet Air Force during theSecond World War. Soviet Union -Lidiya Shulaykina was one of the few women Ilyushin Il-2 pilots and the only female ground-attack pilot in naval aviation during the Second World War. USA -Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran was a pioneer in women's aviation, one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to break thesound barrier on 18 May 1953 in anF-86 Sabrejet. She was the wartime head of theWomen Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (1943–1944), which employed about 1000 civilian American women in a non-combat role to ferry planes from factories to port cities. On September 9, 1948, Cochran joined theU.S. Air Force Reserve as alieutenant colonel. She was promoted tocolonel in 1969 and retired in 1970.[16] Postwar, Cochran began flying newjet aircraft, setting numerous records. She became the first woman pilot to "gosupersonic". Among her many record accomplishments, from August to October 1961, as a consultant to Northrop Corporation, Cochran set a series of speed, distance and altitude records while flying aNorthrop T-38A-30-NO Talon supersonic trainer. On the final day of the record series, she set twoFédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world records, taking the T-38 to altitudes of 55,252.625 feet (16,841 m) in horizontal flight and reaching a peak altitude of 56,072.835 feet (17,091 m).[17] Cochran was also the first woman to land and take off from anaircraft carrier, the first woman to pilot a bomber across the North Atlantic (in 1941) and later to fly a jet aircraft on a transatlantic flight, the first woman to make ablind (instrument) landing, the only woman ever to be president of theFédération Aéronautique Internationale (1958–1961), the first woman to fly afixed-wing, jet aircraft across the Atlantic, the first pilot to fly above 20,000 feet (6,096 m) with an oxygen mask, and the first woman to enter the Bendix Transcontinental Race. She still holds more distance and speed records than any pilot living or dead, male or female.[18][19] France -Jacqueline Auriol was a Frenchaviator who set several world speed records.[20][21] She earned a militarypilot license in 1950 then qualified as one of the first femaletest pilots. She was among the first women to break thesound barrier and set five world speed records in the 1950s and 1960s in French fighter jets like theMystère andDassault Mirages.
North Korea - In late 1952, with theKorean War in full swing, the North Korean Air Force was the only one in the world with female jet fighter pilots. One of them,Tha Sen Hi, flewMiG-15s in combat and eventually rose to squadron leader. She was honoured with the title of Hero of the Korean People's Democratic Republic.[22]
Somalia – Asli HassanAsli Hassan Abade – on 9 September 1976, is the first African female pilot in the (Somali Air Force – SAF). She soloed her first flight –MiG-21. USA –CaptainRosemary "Sabre" Bryant Mariner was an American jet pilot and one of the first six women to earn their wings as aUnited States Naval Aviator in 1974.[23] She was the first female military pilot to fly a tactical jet and the first to achieve command of an operational aviation squadron.[24][25] She was designated a Naval Aviator in June 1974 and became one of the first six women to earn their wings as aUnited States Naval Aviator, alongsideBarbara Allen Rainey,Jane Skiles O'Dea,Judith Ann Neuffer,Ana Marie Fuqua, andJoellen Drag. In 1975, Mariner was one of the first female military aviators to fly a tactical strike aircraft, a single seatA-4L Skyhawk. In 1976, she transitioned to theA-7E Corsair II, making her the first woman to fly a front-line tactical strike aircraft.[26] DuringOperation Desert Storm in 1990, she commanded US Navy Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Thirty Four (VAQ-34). USA - Until the 1970s, aviation had been a traditionally male occupation in the United States. Commerce Department regulations virtually required pilots to have flown in the military to acquire sufficient flight hours, and until the 1970s, the U.S. Air Force and Navy barred women from flying[27] and they were routinely denied work in commercial piloting.[28] The US military did not open fighter jet flights to women until 1993.[29] In the 1970s, women were again, for the first time since WWII, permitted to fly in the United States Armed Forces, beginning with the Navy and the Army in 1974, and then the Air Force in 1976.[30] The first graduating class of ten female Air Force officers earned their Silver Wings on September 2, 1977. These ten women were part of Class77-08 and graduated atWilliams Air Force Base.[31] These female aviators were CaptainsConnie Engel,Kathy La Sauce,Mary Donahue,Susan Rogers andChristine Schott; First LieutenantsSandra Scott andVictoria Crawford; Second LieutenantsMary Livingston,Carol Scherer andKathleen Rambo. USA - On 2 May 1977 First LieutenantChristine E. Schott, USAF, was the first woman in the Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training Program to solo in theNorthrop T-38A Talon supersonic flight trainer atWilliams AFB, Arizona. She was a member of Class 77–08, which entered on 19 September 1976.
Russia -Svetlana Savitskaya is a Russian former jet aviator and Sovietcosmonaut who flew aboardSoyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space. On her 1984Soyuz T-12 mission she became the first woman to fly to space twice, and the first woman to perform aspacewalk. After graduating from theMoscow Aviation Institute (MAI) in 1972, she trained as a test pilot at theFedotov Test Pilot School, graduating in 1976. In May 1978 she start working for aircraft manufacturerYakovlev, as a test pilot. Between 1969 and 1977 she was a member of the Soviet national aerobatics team. Savitskaya retired in 1993 from theRussian Air Force in the rank of Major. She set severalFAI world records as aMiG-21 &MiG-25 pilot.
Algeria – In 1982Hakima Abdessamad became the first Algerian female fighter pilot in theAlgerian Air Force after qualifying to fly theMiG-15, theMiG-17 and theMiG-21.[32][33] Canada – In 1989Dee Brasseur and Jane Foster became the first female fighter pilots in theRoyal Canadian Air Force after qualifying to fly theCF-18 Hornet.[34]
Sweden – In 1991Anna Dellham became Sweden's first female fighter pilot serving with aViggen squadron, before in 2011 qualifying to fly theGripen.[35]
Norway – In 1992Mette "Jet-Mette" Grøtteland became the first female fighter pilot in theRoyal Norwegian Air Force after qualifying to fly theGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.[36]
Netherlands – Between 1993 and 1997Manja Blok the first female fighter pilot in theRoyal Netherlands Air Force was active flying aGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon over Bosnia enforcing the no fly zone. She had qualified on the F-16 in 1991.[37] USA – In 1993Jeannie "Tally" Leavitt became the first femaleUSAF fighter pilot, initially being assigned to aMcDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle squadron, and subsequently flying 300 combat hours, mostly overAfghanistan andIraq. She was the first woman to command a USAF combat fighter wing, the4th Fighter Wing on June 14, 2012 .[38][39] She became commander of a second fighter wing on April 16, 2016, taking command of the57th Wing at theNellis Air Force Base. She is the first woman fighter pilot in the USAF who got promoted to the high rank ofmajor general on September 2, 2019. She logged more than 3,000 fight hours as pilot in command, including over 300 combat hours. UK – In 1994Jo Salter was declared combat ready by theRoyal Air Force flying aPanavia Tornado in617 Squadron becoming Britain's first female fighter pilot.[40]
Belgium – In 1994Anne-Marie "Mie" Jansen becomes the first Belgian female fighter pilot, flying theGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon.[41] She also survived a F-16 mishap, ejecting safely, after running of the runway and collapsing inverted on May 12, 1995. USA – ThenLieutenantBobbi J. Doorenbos became the first female USAFAir National GuardF-16 fighter pilot with the185th Fighter Wing in June 1997. In 2015, by then promoted tocolonel, she became the first female commander of the188th Fighter Wing of theArkansas Air National Guard. Doorenbos a senior fighter pilot with more than 1,200 hours in the F-16C got promoted to the first femalebrigadier general of the USAFAir National Guard on September 28, 2017. USA – In August 1999Lieutenant ColonelShawna Rochelle Kimbrell became the first femaleAfrican-Americanfighter pilot in the history of theUS Air Force. She flew theF-16 Fighting Falcon during combat missions inOperation Northern Watch and is stationed atNellis Air Force Base. France – In 1999Caroline Aigle became the first woman to receive the French Air Force's coveted fighter pilot wings. She was assigned to fly theMirage 2000-5.[42] Canada – In November 2000,Maryse Carmichael was selected to fly with theCanadian Forces Snowbirds aerobatic team, becoming the first woman on the team. In May 2010 she was named the commander of the Snowbirds, becoming the first female pilot to lead the squad.[43]
South Africa –Catherine "Siren" Labuschagne got her wings in 2000 and flew the Impala and Hawk before in 2010 completing her maiden solo flight in the South African Air Force'sGripen Jas 39C, becoming the first woman fighter pilot ever to fly the Gripen.[44] Turkey – In 2000, fighter pilotBerna Şen Şenol paved the way for other Turkish women by becoming the first female F-16 pilot to fly for theTurkish Air Force.[45] Israel – In 2001Roni Zuckerman became the first Israeli woman to qualify as a fighter pilot. She was assigned to an F-16 squadron as a fighter pilot and also later became a commander at the IAF flight academy. She was released from active service in 2007, although continued to do reserve duty.[46] Finland – In 2002Inka Niskanen became Finland's first female fighter pilot, flyingBAE Hawks andF/A-18 Hornets.[47] In January 2019, Niskanen took command of theKarelia Air Command31 Squadron, as the first woman to hold such a post in Finland.[48]
Uruguay – In 2002María Eugenia Etcheverry,A-37B Dragonfly pilot andCarolina Arévalo,IA 58 Pucará pilot became first female fighter pilots in bothUruguayan Air Force and Latin America.[49][50]
Singapore – In 2003Khoo Teh Lynn became Singapore's first female fighter pilot, flyingGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons.[51]
Denmark – In 2005Line Bonde graduated from the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, US, as Denmark's first female fighter pilot flying theF-16 Fighting Falcon.[52] Italy -Samantha Cristoforetti is an ItalianEuropean Space Agency astronaut, and formerItalian Air Force fighter pilot and engineer. She holds the record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight by a European astronaut (199 days, 16 hours),[53][54][55] She graduated in Aeronautics Sciences (University 'Federico II',Naples)[56] at theAccademia Aeronautica inPozzuoli, becoming one of the first women to be a lieutenant and fighter pilot in theItalian Air Force. In 2005/2006 as part of her training in the US, she completed theEuro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program. She has logged over 500 hours and has flown six types of military aircraft:SF-260,T-37,T-38,MB-339A, MB-339CD andAM-X. She was assigned to 51° Stormo, 132° Gruppo. USA From November 2005 till November 2007 (now retired) ColonelNicole "Fifi" Malachowski was the first female pilot selected to fly as part of theUSAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Thunderbirds in theirF-16 Fighting Falcons. Prior to that she was an F-15E Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Chief of Life Support, Assistant Chief of Scheduling, Weapons Flight Electronic Combat Pilot, Functional Check Flight Pilot, Supervisor of Flying at the336th Fighter Squadron. On 18 November 2011, she took command of the333d Fighter Squadron atSeymour Johnson Air Force Base,North Carolina.[57] After successfully completing her tour with the USAF Thunderbirds in November 2007, including approximately 140 performances, Malachowski served on staff of the Commander,United States Air Force Warfare Center, atNellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to June 2008. France - In January 2006, then ensignÉmilie "Eva" Denis, became the first woman fighter pilot of theFrench Navy flying theDassault-Breguet Super Étendard aboard the Frenchaircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Pakistan - In March 2006, thePakistan Air Force officially inducted a batch of 34 fighter pilots which included the organization's first four female fighter pilots. Three years of fighter pilot training had been completed by the pilots at PAF Academy - Risalpur flying amongst other theCessna T-37 Tweet basic jet trainer andK-8 intermediate jet trainer, before they graduated and were awarded theirFlying Badges during the ceremony. Certificates of honour were handed to the successful cadets byGeneralAhsan Saleem Hayat, then the vice-chief of thePakistan Army, who acknowledged that the PAF was the first branch of the Pakistani military to introduce women to its combat units. One of the women,Flying OfficerNadia Gul, was awarded a trophy for best academic achievement. The other female graduates wereMariam Khalil,Saira Batool and CadetSaba Khan. A second batch of pilots, including three female pilots, graduated from the 117th Pilot course at PAF Academy - Risalpur in September 2006. TheSword of Honour for best all-round performance was awarded toAviation CadetSaira Amin, the first female pilot to win the award. Aviation Cadet Saira Amin also had won the Asghar Hussain Trophy for best performance in academics.[58]
Spain -Rosa García-Malea López became the first female fighter pilot in theSpanish Air Force after qualifying to flyF/A-18 Hornet jet fighter aircraft in 2006. With more than 1,250 flight hours and after participating in theLibyan war in 2011, after 15 years service in Spanish air force, she joinedPatrulla Águila the aerobatic demonstration team as aCasa C-101 pilot.[59]
Chile – In 2006Karina Miranda started her flight training on Northrop F-5[60] and made her solo flight with F-5 Tiger III on April 29, 2010, became first female fighter pilot in Chilean Air Force.[61][62]
Malaysia – In 2007Patricia Yapp Syau Yin fromRoyal Malaysian Air Force became the first Asian female fighter Pilot forMikoyan MiG-29 after four years for flying an Aermacchi MB-339CM. She also performed inside RMAF aerobatics team, Smokey Bandits inside the squadrons.[63][64]
Germany – In 2007Ulrike Flender graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program to become Germany's first female fighter pilot and the first German woman to pilot theTornado and later from 2013 theEurofighter Typhoon .[65] Germany - In 2007 then OberleutnantNicola "Niki Bam Bam" Winter – Baumann became the second female fighter pilot in the history of theGerman Air Force flying bothTornado andEurofighter Typhoon in theGerman Air Force. As a fighter pilot, now Major, Nicola Baumann applied to be Germany's first female astronaut among 86 candidates on the list as of September 2016[66] and was one of 30 women taking part in the final selection process as of December 2016.[67] She was selected as one of two winners,[68] but later withdrew from the programme.[69]
Morocco - In 2007 Sub-LieutenantHanae Zarouali became the first Moroccan female jet pilot in service of theRoyal Moroccan Air Force.
South Korea – In 2008 Ha Jeong-mi became the first South Korean female fighter pilot, flying the KF-16 fighter.[70] UK - On 13 May 2009, theRed Arrows announced including their first female display pilot. Flt. Lt.Kirsty Moore (née Stewart) joined for the 2010 season.[71] She joined theRoyal Air Force in 1998 and was a qualified flying instructor on theHawk aircraft at RAF Valley. Prior to joining the team, she flew theTornado GR4 atRAF Marham.[72]
Ukraine –Nadiya Savchenko is a formerArmy aviation pilot in theUkrainian Ground Forces, one of Ukraine's first women to train as a military aeroplane pilot in 2009, and is the only female aviator to pilot theSukhoi Su-24 bomber and theMil Mi-24 helicopter. France –CommandantVirginie Guyot aMirage F1-CR fighter pilot of theArmée de l'Air who achieved an historical first when she was appointed leader of thePatrouille de France, becoming the first woman in the world to command a precisionaerobatic demonstration team on 25 November 2009. At the same time, she was the first woman to join thePatrouille de France, one of the world's oldest and most skilled demonstration teams.[73] USA – In 2011 the first all-female U.S. Air Force combat mission was flown by Maj.Christine Mau, Maj.Tracy Schmidt, Capt.Leigh Larkin, and Capt.Jennifer Morton, called the "Strike Eagles of 'Dudette 07'". They flew two F-15E jets in a sortie over Afghanistan.[74][75]
Brazil – On May 3, 2011,Carla Alexandre Borges became the first woman to fly anFABAMX A-1 fighter aircraft.[76][77] USA – In 2011 Lt. Col. (then Major)Caroline "Blaze" Jensen was the third woman and the first mother to fly in theUSAF Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds team. As the daughter of a Marine helicopter pilot in Vietnam, she graduated from the Air Force Academy with a bachelor's degree in English and spent more than 10 years on active duty as a reservist with more than 3500 flying hours. She's the first female reserve officer to fly with the Thunderbirds. She also flew over 200 combat hours in theF-16 Fighting Falcon overIraq.[78][79] Jensen also became the first qualified female pilot in theT-7A Red Hawk.[80] Poland – In 2012 it was reported thatKatarzyna Tomiak had become a Mig-29 fighter pilot in the Polish Air Force.[81]
China – In 2013 China publicised the graduation of six of the PLAAF's first-batch of female fighter pilots.[82] Pakistan – In 2013Ayesha Farooq became Pakistan's first female fighter pilot flying the Chinese-made F-7PG fighter jet.[83] Out of six female fighter pilots in the PAF,Flight Lieutenant Farooq is the first qualified for combat and to fly sorties along the border.[84] Farooq is one of 19 women to have become pilots in the PAF since the 2000s.[85] USA – On 22 December 2013 Cmdr.Sara Annette "Clutch" Joyner became the first femalestrike fighter pilot to command a Navy carrier air wing after earlier commanded a US Navy fighter squadron.[86] She became a fighter pilot in 1996, flying anF/A-18 Hornet withVFA-147.[87] She assumed command ofStrike Fighter Squadron 105 from Cmdr. Douglas C. Verissimo on 2 March 2007 as the first female to do so.[88] She turned over command to Cmdr. Thomas R. Tennant on 9 June 2008.[89] She later became deputy commander ofCarrier Air Wing Three, assuming full command from Capt. Michael S. Wallace on 4 January 2013.[87] The air wing embarked on a deployment aboardUSSHarry S. Truman on 22 July 2013.[90] She commanded the air wing until relieved by Capt.George M. Wikoff.[90] USA - In February 2014 Major GeneralSherrie L. McCandless became the first woman to command the124th Fighter Wing and, therefore, the first female wing commander in Idaho Air National Guard history.[91] She is an experiencedF-16C/D Fighter Pilot and Instructor Pilot and has commanded units at the squadron levels. She is the Commanding General, District of Columbia National Guard.[92]
Czech Republic – In 2014 Lt.Katerina Hlavsova became the first femaleCzech Air ForceAero L-39 Albatros andL-159 Fighter Pilot.
United Arab Emirates – In 2014Mariam al-Mansuri was UAEs first female fighter pilot, flyingGeneral Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons incombat missions against ISIS in Syria.[93]
Taiwan – In 2014 three female aviators graduated from the Taiwanese Air Force Academy's class, becoming the nation's first female fighter pilots Cpt.Chiang Ching-hua pilots theMirage 2000, Cpt.Chiang Hui-yu pilots theF-16 Fighting Falcon, and Cpt.Fan Yi-lin who pilots the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) theAIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo.[94] USA - Lt. Col.Christine "Grinder" Mau of the U.S. Air Force became the first U.S. female pilot to fly theF-35 Lightning II jet in 2015.[95] India – In June 2016 Flight cadetsAvani Chaturvedi of Madhya Pradesh,Mohana Singh of Rajasthan andBhawana Kanth of Bihar, all in their early-20s, bring in a new era for the Indian defense forces.[96][97] Mohana Singh Jitarwal became the first Indian women fighter pilot fully operational on theHawk Mk.132 advance jet trainer. Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman pilot to take a solo flight in aMIG-21 Bison and was promoted to the rank ofFlight Lieutenant in 2018.[98] Chaturvedi is now part ofIndian Air ForceNo. 23 SquadronPanthers. Kanth, who like the two others first trained onBAE Hawk Mk.132 advance jet trainers, is now flying theMIG-21 Bison with theIndian Air Force'sNo. 3 SquadronCobras.[99]
Greece - In 2016Ioanna Chrysaugi became the first Greek female fighter pilot flying theRF-4E Phantom II in theHellenic Air Force. Squadron Leader Chrysaugi now is a pilot trainer.[100]
Zambia – In 2016Thokozile Muwamba became the first female fighter pilot in Zambia, flying theK-8 and theL-15Z in theZambian Air Force.[101][102][103] Canada – In 2016 Capt.Sarah Dallaire, made history as the first husband-and-wife team to fly with the same CanadianSnowbirds 431 Air Demonstration Squadron. Dallaire, only the 2nd Snowbird female pilot ever, flew in theCanadair CT-114 Tutor as Snowbird 2 on the inner right wing, while her husband Capt. Kevin Domon-Grenier, flew as Snowbird 5 in the second line astern position.[104] USA – In 2017 Capt.Kelsey "Pug" Casey became theUnited States Marine Corps' only femaleAV-8B Harrier "jump jet" pilot.[105][106] She also made another unique move. She was selected to enter training to join the Joint Strike Fighter F35B Lightning II program as the first female Harrier pilot in 2019. Australia – In December 2017 Australia graduated its first female jet fighter pilots.[107]
Zimbabwe – Squadron LeaderAngeline Bosha qualified as a fighter jet pilot after she completed a year-long training course in China in the year 2018 flying theK-8 Karakorum as Zimbabwe's first female fighter jet pilot.[108]
Japan – In August 2018 First lieutenantMisa Matsushima became the first Japanese female fighter pilot, flying theF-15J Eagle with the305th Tactical Fighter Squadron.[109] USA –MajorMichelle "Mace" Curran was the first woman to fly as part of the335th Fighter Squadron of theUSAF. She was an F-16 instructor before joining theUSAF Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds in 2019 as the Lead Solo Pilot for the Squadron. Curran was the fifth woman to fly with the Thunderbirds for three years till October 2021.[110]
Switzerland – In February 2019Fanny Chollet became the first Swiss female fighter pilot, flying theMcDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in theSwiss Air Force.[111]
Mexico – LieutenantKaren Vanessa Velázquez Ruiz, the first Mexican female pilot to fly theNorthrop F-5 fighter plane at the Mexican Military Parade Day on 16 September 2019.[112] USA –United States Air Force fighter pilotCaptainMelanie Ziebart became the first female exchange pilot flying with the31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Marine Fighter Attack Squadron(VMFA) 121 Green Knights, reinforcing Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, aboard the amphibious assault shipUSS America (LHA 6). Operating theUS Marine CorpsF-35B Lightning II aircraft aboard the ship. Ziebart was chosen for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet pilot training program atSheppard Air Force Base where she was officially selected as a fighter pilot and chosen to fly theF-16C Viper at the80th Fighter Squadron atKunsan Air Base, Korea. Accidentally the same aircraft her father, a retired USAF fighter pilot with the35th Fighter Squadron also atKunsan Air Base, flew. Ziebart's inter-service experience has been eye-opening. After her exchange with the Marines, she returns to an Air Force squadron and her goal is to teach and mentor young fighter pilots as an instructor.[113]
Indonesia – In May 2020 Second lieutenantAjeng Tresna Dwi Wijayanti [id] became the first Indonesian female fighter pilot, flying theKAI T-50 Golden Eagle.[114] USA – In February 2020 thenCaptainKristin "Beo" Wolfe was announced as the new Commander and Demo Pilot of theF-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team and became the first femaleUSAF F-35A Demo Team Pilot. Her father was anF-4 Phantom WSO and later became anF-15 pilot. After graduating pilot training she started her career flying theF-22A Raptor at the94th Fighter Squadron "Hat in the Ring" atLangley Air Force Base (VA) for three years before eventually transitioning to the F-35A. When she is not busy with F-35A Demo tasks, she integrates back in to the421st Fighter Squadron "Black Widows" and acts as an instructor and flies regular combat training missions in the rank of Major.[115] India – Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh became the first and only Indian female fighter pilot flying theDassault Rafale fighter jet, part of theNo.17 Indian Golden Arrows Squadron after a stringent selection process in 2020. Prior to flying the Rafale, Shivangi had flown theMIG-21 Bisonsupersonic jet fighter. She had joined theIndian Air Force in 2017 and was commissioned into the IAF's second batch of women fighter pilots. She is not related to Indian Navy Lt. PilotShivangi Singh who flies theDornier 228 in theIndian Naval Air Squadron 550. Italy - In September 2021, MajorIlaria Ragona became commander of the 18º Gruppo caccia (18th Fighter Group), first woman in command of a hunting group that is part of the 37th Stormo of theItalian Air Force flying the Eurofighter Typhoon.[116] Philippines - 1st Lt.Jul Laiza Mae Camposano-Beran was introduced by thePhilippine Air Force as its first ever female jet fighter pilot on March 30, 2022. She is regarded as anSIAI-Marchetti A-211 jet combat mission ready pilot and wingman as of April 2022.[117] She is a member of PAF's 5th Fighter Wing stationed at theCesar Basa Air Base inFloridablanca, Pampanga. Camposano-Beran graduated from the Philippine Air Force Flying School in 2017 after completing her military pilot training. She was the first combat ready out of three female pilots undergoing training on flying and handling the AS-211 fighter jet.
USA – On May 25, 2022, Lt.Amanda "Stalin" Lee was named as the first ever woman selected for the US Navy Flight Demonstration SquadronBlue Angels as a demo F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter pilot.[118][119] France - ColonelAnne-Laure Michel a formerDassault Mirage F1 fighter-pilot became the first woman commander of strategic nuclear airbase BA125Istres-Le Tubé Air Base inBouches-du-Rhône,France. She was commander of a Mirage squadron with 150 war missions inAfghanistan,Chad,Côte d'Ivoire,Cameroon,Togo, theCentral African Republic and she has over 2500 hours of flight time.[120]
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