5 Navy women officers create history, complete 1st all-woman maritime reconnaissance and surveillance mission

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, August 4

Five women officers of the Indian Navy have created history by completing the first all-woman independent maritime reconnaissance and surveillance mission in the North Arabian Sea on board a Dornier 228 aircraft.

The mission was done on August 3 and launched from Indian Navy’s Air Enclave, Porbandar.

The aircraft was captained by mission commander, Lt Cdr Aanchal Sharma, who had pilots, Lt Shivangi and Lt Apurva Gite, and Tactical and Sensor Officers, Lt Pooja Panda and SLt Pooja Shekhawat in her team.

The Naval Air Squadron is based at Porbandar, Gujarat, and operates the state-of-the-art Dornier 228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

The women officers received months of ground training and comprehensive mission briefings in the run-up to this historical sortie.

This first-of-its-kind military flying mission was, however, unique and is expected to pave the way for women officers in the aviation cadre to assume greater responsibility and aspire for more challenging roles, the Navy said.