Female Fighter Pilot Makes History With Kill Shot

(IntegrityPress.org) – The Navy announced the first air-to-air kill by a woman pilot on Monday, July 22. The unidentified woman reportedly destroyed a suicide drone sent by Yemeni Houthis; the Houthis are believed to be provided weapons and other support by Iran.

The Navy said the pilot belonged to the “Flying Swordsmen,” a squadron with over 3,000 combat hours and 1,500 combat missions under operations Prosperity Guardian and Inherent Resolve. The missions were all focused on protecting vital shipping lanes in the Middle East, which the Houthis and ISIS have targeted before them.

The Navy reported a volley of over 20 air-to-air missiles launched against Houthi drones during the encounter. The female pilot was responsible for one of the confirmed kills against the small group of drones. It wasn’t specified where precisely the mission described took place, but it was likely over the Red Sea, where Houthis have been targeting shipping vessels over the past several months.

The Swordsmen have also been involved in operations targeting Houthi infrastructure, weapons depots, and military bases. Commanding officer Jason Hoch said his pilots performed brilliantly in “incredibly demanding conditions.” He highlighted the versatility of the squadron, which is able to operate within a carrier strike group.

They’ve been tasked with protecting the USS Gravely and USS Mason, both destroyers, and the USS Philippine Sea, a cruiser. As part of their operations against the Houthis, they’ve deployed 135 Tomahawk and 155 conventional cruise missiles against 460 various Houthi targets across Yemen. They operate off the USS Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier.

The Houthis have been targeting shipping they say is associated with Israel in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza, which has been ongoing since militiamen from there attacked Israeli and international civilians the morning of October 7 last year.

Initially just a nuisance, Houthi operations have successfully forced many companies to avoid the area, which is a vital trade route through the Suez Canal, facilitating the transfer of goods between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. U.S. and British forces have been attempting to counter and disrupt their operations and largely blame Iran for giving them weapons and other support.

Copyright 2024, IntegrityPress.org