Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth makes history as IAF's 1st woman 'Top Gun' pilot
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has scripted yet another milestone by becoming the first woman fighter pilot to successfully complete
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has scripted yet another milestone by becoming the first woman fighter pilot to successfully complete the prestigious Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior. The 20-week programme is regarded as one of the IAF’s most demanding advanced combat courses and is reserved for a select group of fighter pilots. Successful completion qualifies pilots to lead complex air combat missions and places them among the Air Force’s frontline combat tacticians.
Read Full Story TACDE is the IAF's premier fighter tactics institution, considered comparable to the US Navy's "Top Gun," which is officially called the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor programme. It trains personnel in advanced combat tactics, mission planning, air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, and leadership in high-intensity operational scenarios. Its instructors are drawn from the IAF's most experienced fighter pilots and controllers, making it the service’s premier centre for operational air combat training. WHO IS SQUADRON LEADER BHAWANA KANTH?
Squadron Leader Kanth, who hails from Bihar's Darbhanga district and is an engineering graduate, was commissioned into the IAF in June 2016 as part of the country's first batch of women fighter pilots, alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. She has been at the forefront of several breakthroughs for women in military aviation. In 2019, she became the first Indian woman cleared to undertake daytime fighter combat missions. She initially flew the MiG-21 Bison before transitioning to the Su-30 MKI.
She also became the first woman fighter pilot to participate in the Republic Day Parade in 2021 and later flew in the Republic Day flypast in 2024. Her latest achievement marks another significant step in the growing role of women in the IAF's combat stream and highlights their increasing presence in advanced operational and leadership positions. Ends
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