The Blogs: IAF Female Fighter Pilots and Navigators participate in airstrike on Iran

The Israeli Air Force requires grit, determination, commitment, and sometimes a court case that prescribes gender equality

An Israeli Air Force female combat navigator, Major “Shin” took part in this weekend’s unprecedented airstrikes on Iran in “Operation Rising Lion.” She described the airstrike as a “complex and powerful aerial operation” over 1500km from Israel. This was a historic and emotional mission aimed at neutralizing a major threat to Israel. Major “Shin” added:

I felt the responsibility in the cockpit to remove a real and existential threat to the State of Israel…We’re doing this for the peace of tomorrow. For our home. That is our mission.

A woman wearing her IAF pilot’s wings is not a strange sight around IAF bases anymore. In addition to combat (including F35) and transportation pilots, the IAF has female navigators, combat helicopter pilots and Saar helicopter pilots. Advanced Air Force training courses (of which around 600 cadets enter and only about thirty graduate) last three years and require soldiers to give an additional nine years of service.

Female graduates of the IAF’s 163rd flight school course (photo credit: ©️ IDF Flickr/CC BY-NC)

More than 70 years have passed since a woman first completed the IAF’s pilot training course. Lieutenant Yael Rom marched amongst the 18 officers completing Pilot Training Course number 5 and was the first woman to pin on the IAF pilot wings to her uniform and served in combat in the 1956 war.

After this long hiatus women were once again granted permission to enter the air combat training school after a ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court in 1997, based on an appeal by Alice Miller, a South African immigrant with a civilian pilots license, to enter the prestigious course. Miller’s appeal was based on Israel’s Declaration of Independence, which states:

The State of Israel… will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex

In practicing the above, the IDF ensures that Jewish homeland has become an international beacon of light for toleration, equality and inclusion. Very far from the “apartheid” canard hurled at it by the ignorant haters and useful idiots. Even though Miller failed in passing the rigorous requirements of the course she broke the glass ceiling and opened the way for other women. She was invited to light the torch on Israel’s Independence Day in recognition of her battle for gender equality.

Female IAF pilot at her graduating “Wings” ceremony ©️ IDF, 2025

The first woman to qualify as a combat pilot after the Supreme Court ruling, Lt. R. in 2001, had to complete the rigorous course that is regarded as the toughest of its kind in the world. It cost almost three million dollars to train an IAF pilot and there is above a ninety percent drop-out rate. She not only completed the course but excelled: she finished sixth in her class of 70 and during dogfight training she is said to have “downed” even her squadron commander! Interestingly, she was raised in Kibbutz Lochamei Hagetaot (The Ghetto fighters Kibbutz) and her grandparents were both leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto revolt. Clearly the genes are strong in her family!

The example of these fine young women who strive to go above and beyond what is required of them to serve our country and people is in stark contrast to most of the Ultra-Orthodox community who are against any kind of national service for our country.

The IAF, which started, “on a wing and a prayer,” has developed to be one of the world’s leading air forces largely because of the special and dedicated men and women who are prepared to give the best years of their lives to safeguard the miracle of the Jewish State for future generations.

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Tuvia is currently serving as an IDF combat medic on the Gaza front in Palmar Asaf. He has been in this unit since October 7, and is currently on his seventh deployment. His latest book, “Jewish Journeys, The First Temple Period” (Koren:2025) is now available.