In a landmark achievement for the Indian Air Force and women in combat aviation, Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has become the first woman officer to successfully complete the elite Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior. The rigorous 20-week programme, widely regarded as the IAF’s equivalent of the US Navy’s Top Gun school, qualifies a select group of pilots as advanced tactics specialists capable of leading complex air combat missions.
Keywords: Bhawana Kanth, Fighter Combat Leader, Indian Air Force, TACDE Gwalior, women fighter pilots, Su-30MKI
Only about one per cent of IAF fighter pilots are selected for the demanding course, which covers advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground tactics, mission planning, electronic warfare, weapons employment and leadership in high-intensity scenarios. Graduates return to their squadrons as key authorities on operational doctrine and combat manoeuvring.
Kanth, who hails from Darbhanga in Bihar and holds an engineering degree, was commissioned in June 2016 as one of the first three women fighter pilots in the IAF, alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. She joined a fighter squadron in 2017 after training on the Pilatus, Kiran and Hawk. In March 2018 she flew her first solo sortie on the MiG-21 Bison and, in May 2019, became the first Indian woman cleared for daytime combat missions on the type. She later transitioned to the Su-30MKI, one of the IAF’s primary multi-role fighters, and led elements of the Republic Day flypast in 2021 (and again in later years).
Her latest milestone has drawn widespread recognition, including public praise from Union Minister Smriti Irani, who highlighted Kanth’s progression from pioneering female fighter pilot to elite combat leader. Defence veterans and observers have noted that the achievement underscores the expanding operational roles open to women a decade after the fighter stream was opened to them on an experimental basis.
As a Fighter Combat Leader now operating the Su-30MKI, Squadron Leader Kanth joins an exclusive cadre responsible for refining frontline tactics and preparing the force for modern challenges, including unmanned systems and network-centric warfare. Her success continues to inspire and demonstrates the depth of talent within the Indian Air Force’s combat ranks.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
