WI: Women allowed in air combat by 1991 in the U.S. Military?

One aspect of the 1989 Invasion of Panama was that several women in both the UH-60 and MP communities wound up seeing combat (as in actually pulling the trigger) during the takedown of the PDF. As a result, there were calls to get rid of the combat exclusion laws right then, but DOD refused to get on board, saying that Panama hadn't been enough of a test. But WI DOD had decided (with Congressional support) to allow some women to be allowed into AF, Navy, and Army combat aviation (the Marines had no female pilots, and wouldn't until 1994) in early '90? There would've been a number of female pilots in squadrons that deployed to the Gulf before DESERT STORM kicked off, and it's possible that there might have been a female MiG killer in 1991. It's also possible that there would've been more than two female POWs, also. It was the performance of women in ODS, especially the two POWs, that led to repeal of restrictions on women serving in air and naval combat in 1993, and more jobs on the ground in the Army and Marines opening up in 1994.
 
Not a lot. IIRC, the UK had women combat pilots from '91 and at sea
since '90. Can't see the first female being trained and operational until after
'91 if they changed the regulations in '89-'90, then they'd be such a small % doubtful if in a squadron sent there. Although possible if sped-through to arrive in theatre for photo-opportunity reasons.

All I could see was that if Congressional support was that strong, I'd imagine by now they'd be support for no restrictions whatsoever based on the premise of gender equality - a prime example is Canada, where change was forced on the miltiary during the late 1980s as a result of such equality legislation.
 
I think it takes two years to train a fighter pilot so it might be possible if it's done right after PAnama and they take a commisioned airforce officer. But noting much changes assuming the officer become a hero in some media stunt and then launch a political career.

I think we need a earlier PoD and thus maybe a different Top Gun or Iron Eagle.
 
Depends whether the USAF had conducted any studies into the effects of g-force and pilot training on the female body/psychology; and during unwitting pregnancy so as to cover themselves legally etc.

One assumes they would have done during the Carter-era in the 1970s, but if not that could add at least another year whilst studies were conducted into any necessary changes that'd needed to be made.
 
Having a cousin who is a USN F/A-18 pilot, she told me that it takes 6-9 months to transition to a new aircraft assuming you're already winged. There were female AF and Navy pilots in 1990 who were IPs, teaching male pilots manuvers that they themselves couldn't do for real: ACM, bombing, and strafing. So assuming that combat slots open up in Feb-March of 90, there would be rated and qualified female pilots who could be deployed by January, 1991, in time to fly combat in DESERT STORM. (my cousin was winged in 1990 herself, and was one of the first female USN combat aviators in 1994; she's now finishing up transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet) Two years' training otherwise from reporting after commissioning to combat-ready.
 
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