Israeli Air Force Appoints First-ever Female Squadron Commander

TEL AVIV – The Israel Air Force on Tuesday appointed the first female head of a flight squadron.

The pilot, known only as Maj. G. for security reasons, was appointed by IAF chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin to command the Nachshon Squadron, an intelligence unit flying Gulfstream 5 jets and surveillance aircraft.

“I’m happy about the appointment,” said Maj. G. in a statement. “It is a great privilege along with a great responsibility. The true work is still ahead. I am proud to serve in the Air Force.”

Conscripted in 2003, the military said Maj. G., 34, trained as a transport plane pilot before serving as deputy commander of Nachshon Squadron between 2015-2017. She finished a command course a month ago and will replace the current commander of the squadron in the coming months, the army said.

(IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

Earlier this year, Maj. T was named as the IAF’s first female aviation squadron commander, in charge of ground-based operations.

Last year, the air force also appointed its first female deputy commander of a fighter squadron flying F-15 jets. 2017 also saw two other women appointed as deputy commanders in drone squadrons.

Last year, a senior IAF officer told the Jerusalem Post that it was only a matter of time before a female would be appointed squadron commander. He added that in the past two decades more and more women were being recruited to combat units and that the military was “now seeing the fruits of that.”