2022 R-Day Parade: 1st woman fighter pilot on Rafale combat aircraft

The first woman fighter pilot on the Rafale combat aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh was a part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) tableau during the parade of 73rd Republic Day on Wednesday.

New Delhi: The first woman fighter pilot on the Rafale combat aircraft, Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh was a part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) tableau during the parade of 73rd Republic Day on Wednesday. During the showcase, Singh was present on the tableau as the fighter pilot of Rafale Aircraft.

Notably, Singh is the only second woman fighter jet pilot to ever be part of the IAF tableau. Singh, who hails from Varanasi, was flying MiG-21 Bison before being inducted into the Golden Arrows squadron of the IAF. She joined the force in 2017. The IAF was the first force to have allowed women officers in combat and has the highest percentage of female officers.

The tableau of the Indian Air Force at the Republic Day parade displayed the theme 'Indian Air Force Transforming for the Future'. The tableau showcased the scaled-down models of MiG-21, Gnat, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), Aslesha radar, and Rafale aircraft. The MiG-21s strike worked as the final trigger to capitulate the adversary and bring about a decisive victory in the 1971 war.

Gnat, the first indigenous aircraft, armed with 30 mm Aden guns and rockets. Gnat, also known as 'Sabre Slayer; was considered to be the best aircraft to take on an enemy aircraft in a dog fight. The indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is capable of high altitude operations and is armed with Dhruvastra anti-tank guided missile.

Aslesha MK-1 is a three-dimensional Low-Level Light Weight and multi-beam ground-based 3D Surveillance Radar. It is deployed in diverse terrains and has the capability to detect and track heterogeneous air targets, including helicopters, fighters, and UAVs at low and medium altitudes. GSAT 7A is a Geostationary satellite; it enhances IAF's Network Centric Warfare capabilities by interlinking all ground-based Radars, airbases, Airborne Early Warning, and Control Radars for detecting aircraft and vessels. Rafale with its advanced technology, equipped with a wide range of weapons is a game-changer to attain air supremacy.

ANI