In a major announcement on its 83rd anniversary, the Indian Air Force has decided to allow women to fly fighter jets. During the anniversary celebrations of the IAF, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said that he has taken the issue of taking women into combat roles with the government.
Now it is up to the Centre to give the go ahead over the inclusion of women in combat roles in the IAF.
His remarks come on the backdrop of his own observation last year wherein he had cited that women are physically not suitable to take combat roles.
According to officials, there are around 300 women pilots in the Indian Air Force.The event was held at Hindon Air Force base.
Women officers in the other two services too have been kept away from combat roles. In the Navy, they cannot serve on warships and in the Army, they cannot join the infantry, armoured corps or artillery.
IAF currently has women in seven areas of administration, logistics, meteorology, navigation, education, aeronautical engineering -- mechanical and electrical -- and accounts. The air force currently has about 1500 women on its rolls of which 94 are pilots and 14 navigators.
Several women pilots have proven themselves flying helicopters and transport aircraft in high-risk rescue and other missions. Some have also flown sorties of AN-32 aircraft to the Advanced Landing Ground at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh. DBO, the world's highest landing ground at 16,500 feet, is close to the frontline and is a critical supply line for troops posted at the Siachen Glacier.
Women pilots have also proven themselves with the Ilyushin IL-76 heavy-lift transport aircraft, referred to in the Air Force as 'Gajraj', in difficult sorties to Leh.
Also, Squadron Leader Deepika Misra recently stormed a fiercely male bastion by joining the helicopter display team ‘Sarang'.
The air force currently has about 1,500 women on its rolls of which 94 are pilots and 14 navigators.
The move is in sync with global trends and will help IAF overcome shortage of officers in the fighter aircraft stream.
Induction of women in combat duties has not been recommended by the studies carried out by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) in 2006 and High Level Tri-Services Committee in 2011.
While Raha has spelled the idea of inducting women in combat roles, it is unlikely to see the light of the day in the immediate future. As spelled by the Air Chief, the proposal has been sent to the defence ministry by the IAF.
While he expressed hope that women may take a year to be allowed to enter the fighter stream of the IAF. This will be followed by three year rigorous training of these pilots on the IAF’s training aircraft such as the Pilatus and Hawk trainers.
Now it is up to the Centre to give the go ahead over the inclusion of women in combat roles in the IAF.
“We have women pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopter. We are now planning to induct them into the fighter stream to meet the aspiration of young women of India,” Raha said.
His remarks come on the backdrop of his own observation last year wherein he had cited that women are physically not suitable to take combat roles.
On Thursday morning however, Raha expressed confidence that he has “no doubt” that women will overcome the physical limitations to become fighter pilots.
According to officials, there are around 300 women pilots in the Indian Air Force.The event was held at Hindon Air Force base.
Women officers in the other two services too have been kept away from combat roles. In the Navy, they cannot serve on warships and in the Army, they cannot join the infantry, armoured corps or artillery.
IAF currently has women in seven areas of administration, logistics, meteorology, navigation, education, aeronautical engineering -- mechanical and electrical -- and accounts. The air force currently has about 1500 women on its rolls of which 94 are pilots and 14 navigators.
Several women pilots have proven themselves flying helicopters and transport aircraft in high-risk rescue and other missions. Some have also flown sorties of AN-32 aircraft to the Advanced Landing Ground at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh. DBO, the world's highest landing ground at 16,500 feet, is close to the frontline and is a critical supply line for troops posted at the Siachen Glacier.
Women pilots have also proven themselves with the Ilyushin IL-76 heavy-lift transport aircraft, referred to in the Air Force as 'Gajraj', in difficult sorties to Leh.
Also, Squadron Leader Deepika Misra recently stormed a fiercely male bastion by joining the helicopter display team ‘Sarang'.
The air force currently has about 1,500 women on its rolls of which 94 are pilots and 14 navigators.
The move is in sync with global trends and will help IAF overcome shortage of officers in the fighter aircraft stream.
The idea of inducting women in combat squadrons of the IAF has been opposed by several committees of the forces themselves. In fact, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in March had, in response to a Parliamentary question said, “Women personnel in the Armed Forces are not being deployed for combat operations and on naval warships.
Induction of women in combat duties has not been recommended by the studies carried out by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) in 2006 and High Level Tri-Services Committee in 2011.
” Parrikar’s predecessor A K Antony too had maintained the same line in 2013 saying, “There is no proposal at present to induct women into combat duties in the defence forces including as fighter pilots in Indian Air Force.”
While Raha has spelled the idea of inducting women in combat roles, it is unlikely to see the light of the day in the immediate future. As spelled by the Air Chief, the proposal has been sent to the defence ministry by the IAF.
While he expressed hope that women may take a year to be allowed to enter the fighter stream of the IAF. This will be followed by three year rigorous training of these pilots on the IAF’s training aircraft such as the Pilatus and Hawk trainers.
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