New Delhi: Squadron Leader Mohana Singh has made history by becoming the first woman fighter pilot to join the Indian Air Force’s prestigious 18 ‘Flying Bullets’ squadron, which operates the indigenous LCA Tejas fighter jets. This marks a significant milestone for women in combat roles in India.
Recently, Singh participated in the ‘Tarang Shakti’ exercise in Jodhpur, where she flew alongside the vice chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in a historic flight. While Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh piloted the LCA Tejas fighter variant, the other vice chiefs operated the trainer variant with fighter pilots.
Stationed at the Naliya airbase near the Pakistan border, Singh has transitioned from flying MiG-21s to the LCA Tejas. Her involvement in high-level exercises and interactions with top defense officials underscores the growing role of women in combat aviation.
In 2016, Singh, along with Bhawna Kanth and Avni Chaturvedi, became one of the first women to be inducted as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force, following the government’s decision to allow women into fighter jet cockpits.
