Women fighter pilots a five-year trial project: Government

NEW DELHI: The government has clarified that the recently-announced historic move to induct women fighter pilots will be only an experimental one for five years. This has put a question mark on the aspirations of future women fighter pilots.

'In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh said, "the government has accorded the approval to entry of women into the fighter stream of IAF on experimental basis for a period of five years." The announcement has left some women fighter pilots in the IAF confused. "I don't understand how one can call it in an experiment. Will women pilots be stripped of their status as fighter pilots and shifted to other branches after five years?” a female helicopter pilot reacted.

The Indian Air Force will see its first batch of women fighter pilots in June 2017. The Chief of Air Staff, on the occasion of IAF’s 83rd anniversary had announced the move to induct women fighter pilots. “We have women pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopters. We are now planning to induct them into the fighter stream to meet the aspirations of young women in India.” He had not mentioned that it was a trial measure.

The first batch of women pilots would be selected from the group which is currently undergoing training at Air Force Academy, Dundigal, in Telangana. After completing stage I of the training, which is common to all, women trainees will be selected for fighter training based on capability and willingness next June. A year later, women fighter pilots will take to the skies in fighter aircraft.