By Senior Airman Cameron Otte, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing / Published October 23, 2021
U.S. Air Force Capt. Gianna-Rose Acosta, 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officer, dons her flight gear prior to a mission Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Air Force has 916 active-duty female pilots. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Capt. Gianna-Rose Acosta, left, F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officer, Maj. Kelly Patterson, second from left, F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, Capt. Elizabeth Lattea, second from right, F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officer, and Capt. Miranda Bray, F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, all with the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, step to their jets Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. Female Airmen first entered U.S. Air Force fighter pilot training in 1993. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Nevada Larson, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron assistant dedicated crew chief, climbs the ladder of an F-15E Strike Eagle Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, 20.9% of the enlisted force are women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Capt. Elizabeth Lattea, F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officer, does a preflight check on her aircraft Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. . As of Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Air Force has 916 active-duty female pilots, 391 active-duty female navigators and 262 active-duty female air battle managers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Kelly Patterson, 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, climbs into her jet prior to a mission Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Air Force has 916 active-duty female pilots. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Lael Darrett, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron crew chief, stands on the ladder of an F-15E Strike Eagle Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, 20.9% of the enlisted force are women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Maj. Kelly Patterson, left, 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-15E pilot, gives a thumbs up from the front seat with Capt. Gianna-Rose Acosta, 494th EFS weapons systems officer, in the back seat prior to takeoff Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Air Force has 916 active-duty female pilots, 391 active-duty female navigators and 262 active-duty female air battle managers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Nevada Larson, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron assistant dedicated crew chief, prepares an F-15E Strike Eagle for takeoff Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, 20.9% of the enlisted force are women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
A U.S. Air Force 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Airman signals an F-15E pilot and weapons systems officer they are clear to taxi prior to takeoff Oct. 16, 2021, at an undisclosed location somewhere in Southwest Asia. As of Sept. 30, 2021, 20.9% of the enlisted force are women. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)
An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off Oct. 16, 2021, from an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. An all-female aircrew flew two F-15Es for a mission. As of Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S. Air Force has 916 active-duty female pilots, 391 active-duty female navigators and 262 active-duty female air battle managers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte)