Chinese female fighter pilots - Curt Lewis

Four female pilots to fly China's most advanced fighter jets

Female members of China's armed forces will play a part in next month's grand parade to commemorate the end of World War II.

Female soldiers will also participate in the grand V-Day parade on September 3rd. Photos of female honor guards rehearsing for the parade have already attracted a lot of attention. In addition to the honor guards, female soldiers will also represent medic and air force formations. The only four female pilots, all in their late 20s, will be flying China's most advanced fighter jets above Tiananmen Square.
CCTV's Han Bin filed this report at the PLA Air Force Base in Tianjin.

The 4 women have flown four types of planes, including second and third generation Chinese fighter jets. All of them have logged nearly a thousand hours of flying time. The air force first recruited female fighter pilots in 2005. Only 16 made it through the grueling 4-year training.
The need for female pilots is increasing in China's ambitious air force modernization drive. Many believe it highlights a rising role of women in the military, and a growing number of female astronauts in the future.