First Lieutenant Misa Matsushima (松島美紗, Matsushima Misa) (born 1991 or 1992 (age 32–33)[1]) is the first female fighter pilot in Japan.[2][3]
Misa Matsushima | |
|---|---|
 Misa Matsushima seated in F-15 in 2018 | |
| Native name | 松島美紗 |
| Born | 1991 or 1992 (age 32–33) |
| Service | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 5th Air Wing |
Matsushima graduated from the Japan National Defense Academy in March 2014 and obtained her pilot's license in October 2016.[4] Matsushima initially trained to be a transport and rescue pilot, but started training to be a fighter pilot after the Ministry of Defense opened the fighter pilot specialization to women candidates in 2015.[5] She received her fighter certification on August 23, 2018, and was assigned to 305th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 5th Air Wing, headquartered at Nyutabaru Air Base, where she flies the Mitsubishi F-15J.[6][7]
Japan has had female military aviators since Kazue Kashiji in 1997; Matsushima is the first to pilot a fighter type aircraft.[1][8]
References
edit- ^ a b "女性初の戦闘機操縦士 新田原基地配属の松島２尉 「早く一人前に」", Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese), August 24, 2018
- ^ Yeung, Jessie; Ogura, Junko, Japan gets first female fighter pilot, CNN – via MSN
- ^ Japan's first woman fighter pilot to blaze a trail in skies, BBC, 24 August 2018
- ^ Japan sees first woman qualify as fighter jet pilot, Kyodo News, August 24, 2018 – via Japan Times
- ^ "空自初、女性の戦闘機操縦士…トップガンに憧れ". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ Kikuchi, Hiroyuki; Kojo, Hirotaka (August 23, 2018), "Japan's first female fighter pilot to join airspace defense", Asahi Shimbun
- ^ Thompson, Paul, "Bulletin Board: First JASDF Woman Jet Jockey Qualifies", J-HangarSpace, archived from the original on September 4, 2018, retrieved August 30, 2018
- ^ Kono, Toshiharu (May 13, 2003), ASDF's first female pilot logs similar feat as instructor, Kyodo, retrieved August 24, 2018 – via Japan Times