A U.S. Navy pilot became the first American woman to achieve an air-to-air kill after successfully downing a Houthi drone July 14, the service announced.
A U.S. Navy fighter pilot achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first American woman to score a victory in air-to-air combat. The unnamed pilot was part of Strike Fighter Squadron 32, operating from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the service stated. She was flying an F/A-18 Super Hornet when she successfully engaged and destroyed a one-way Houthi attack drone. This drone was one of many deployed by the Yemen-based Houthi group against civilian targets in the Red Sea.
US Navy pilot becomes first American female to record air-to-air kill after downing Houthi attack drone https://t.co/gPPNgRnPcY pic.twitter.com/IWwW80eVXR
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The squadron, known as the “Flying Swordsmen,” accumulated over 3,000 combat hours, flying almost 1,500 combat missions under operations Inherent Resolve and Prosperity Guardian. The latter was specifically initiated to respond to Houthi attacks on international shipping, with the squadron firing more than 20 air-to-air missiles at Houthi drones. (RELATED: Houthi Attacks Might Make American Kids’ Teddy Bears More Expensive)
The squadron accumulated over 3,000 combat hours and executed nearly 1,500 missions during Operations Inherent Resolve and Prosperity Guardian, the release added. The latter was established in Dec. 2023 to counter Houthi-led attacks on international shipping, while the former focused on ISIS. Deployed aboard the Eisenhower, the Swordsmen, a strike fighter squadron, launched over 20 air-to-air missiles targeting Houthi drones in these engagements.
“During one mission, VFA-32 became home to the first American female pilot to engage and kill an air-to-air contact,” it said.
The US Navy’s Blue Angels perform an air show over the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland, on May 22, 2024, as part of the US Naval Academy Commissioning week. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
This event marks a significant moment in U.S. military history, coming three decades after Lt. Kara Hultgreen became the first carrier-based female fighter pilot for the Navy, according to CNN. The Eisenhower-led carrier strike group has recently returned from a nine-month deployment, during which it engaged over 460 Houthi targets in Yemen as part of broader operations to secure the region.
This milestone not only underscores the crucial role of female pilots in combat but also highlights the strategic military responses by the U.S. and its allies against Houthi aggressions, which have escalated following regional tensions.
