IAF creates history, picks female officer to command combat unit in western sector

New Delhi: In a historic decision, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has selected a female officer to command a frontline combat unit in the western sector.

The IAF officer – Group Captain Shaliza Dhami – will command a missile squadron in the western sector against Pakistan.

Commissioned in 2003 as a helicopter pilot, Group Captain Dhami has over 2800 hours of flying experience. A Qualified Flying Instructor, she has served as Flight Commander of a Helicopter Unit in the Western sector.

Having been commended by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief on two occasions, the IAF officer is presently posted in the operations branch of a frontline command headquarters.

In 2019, Dhami became the first woman IAF officer to have been promoted to the post of the Flight Commander of a flying unit.

With over 15 years of experience, she has many firsts to her credit. Born in Punjab’s Ludhiana, her first solo flight was in 2003 in a HAL HPT-32 Deepak.

She was commissioned a flying officer in the IAF in 2003 and was later promoted to flight lieutenant in 2005 and to squadron leader in 2009.

The Indian Army has also taken similar steps to promote women officers.

The Indian Army started assigning women officers to command roles for the first time earlier this month.

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