Capt Abhilasha Barak makes history becoming first Lady Combat Aviator of Indian Army

Nashik, May 25: Captain Abhilasha Barak became the first woman combat aviator in the Army Aviation Corps, today (May 25). Capt Abhilasha Barak passed out with flying colors along with 36 Indian Army Pilots, during her passing out ceremony of the Army Aviation Corps today at Combat Army Aviation School (CATS) at Nashik.

 

 

 

 

Capt Abhilasha comes from Haryana's Panchkula. Later she joined the Officers Training Academy (OTA) Chennai for her training and got commissioned into AAD (Army Air Defence). Further she opted for Army Aviation Corps, passing out today as the first woman combat aviator of the Indian Army.

 

 

 

 

 

Army Aviation Corps candidates are trained at the Combat Army Aviation Training School (CATS) in Nashik. However, previously the training was conducted at the School of Artillery in Deolali. Army Aviation Corps pilots are drawn from other combat arms, including artillery officers. The Indian Air Force flies attack helicopters such as the Mil Mi-25, Mi-35 and HAL Rudra, which are under the operational control of the army. Helicopters such as the HAL Chetak, HAL Cheetah and HAL Dhruv provide logistical support for the Indian Army in remote and inaccessible areas.

 

The Army Aviation Corps also perform combat search and rescue (CSAR), artillery lift, combat transportation, logistics relief, military prisoner transportation and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) in wartime and during natural disasters. According to a recent report of the Financial Express, the number of women in the Indian armed forces has increased almost three fold over the last few years.