Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha might believe that women are physically not suited to fly fighter planes, history of military aviation, however, refutes his assumption. Starting from the Second World War to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, many countries have deployed women fighter pilots at combat positions and many of these women have played decisive roles in the theatre of operations.
India is the only major military power which even today discriminates between men and women when it comes to flying fighter planes. It has been almost two decades since air forces from across the world put no bar on women becoming fighter pilots. Most countries of Europe along with US, Canada, South Africa, South Korea and Israel have women officers serving as fighter pilots. Last year Ayesha Farooq became Pakistan's first female fighter pilot to qualify for battle. Among the six female fighter pilots in Pakistan's air force, she was the first to pass the final exam. In 2013, China too inducted 16 female fighter pilots in it's Air Force.
On record, Turkey is the first country to allow women to fly a fighter plane. In 1937, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's adopted daughter Sabiha Gokcen became world's first combat pilot when she took part in the military operation against Dersim rebellion. From 1942 to the end of the Second World War, Nazi occupied areas witnessed several raids of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment. The soviet female military aviators which constituted the Regiment were dubbed Night Witches by the Nazi troops. Formed by Colonel Marina Raskova, the 588th flew only in dark, because of the weight of the bombs they flew at low altitude and carried no parachutes; they had no radars and navigated through maps and compasses. Despite their inferior planes the 'witches' managed to carry 30,000 missions and they were considered major menace by the Nazi forces.
After the Second World War it took almost 50 years for most of the major military powers to induct female fighters in their air forces. In post Second World War period Canada became the first country of industrialised world to have women air force pilots. In 1989 Dee Brasseur and Jane Foster qualified as first female fighter pilots of Canadian air force.
In 1993 Jeannie Leavitt became post world war's first female combat pilot after her induction in the American air force. In 2012 Leavitt became world's first female wing commander of any major air force when she was promoted to command 5,000 airmen at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. At that time she had logged about 2,700 hours of which 300 was in combat over Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2000, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution accepting the inherent equality of women and men in all aspects of international peace and security. Today Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, New Zealand and Norway put least restriction and women can join virtually any military position including infantry and artillery combat units.
