The first women combat pilots of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will soon be certified as ready to fly into battle (likely against India) at the controls of CAIC WZ-10 anti-tank attack helicopters.

China's first five women combat pilots are Yun Lu, Pu Yuting, Zhou Jiao, Wang Wenjuan and Liaohuang Xiaochuan.

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They all flew fixed-wing aircraft for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) before being selected for training in the aviation units of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) in 2014.

PLAGF aviation units operate some 1,000 helicopters, including nearly 100 WZ-10s. China hasn't revealed how many women are flying fixed wing and rotary aircraft in the PLA.

Last September, the PLA revealed the deployment of the WZ-10 to its Western Theater Command that includes China's border with India. The WZ-10s, China's first indigenous attack helicopters, were delivered to the Air Defense Brigade of the PLA 13th Group Army under the Western Theater Command.

PLA propaganda said the five women overcame "many difficulties, such as having to forget old operational practices for fixed-wing planes, and have done exercises to build their physical strength."

The women trained in a WZ-9, a military variation of the French Eurocopter Dauphin, and the WZ-10.

PLA media singled out Yun for praise because of her "most remarkable record."

"She is one of the first Chinese women capable of operating a fighter jet and has flown multiple types of fixed-wing planes, including the JL-8 trainer and J-7 fighter jet," according to a PLA website.

She trained with the late Captain Yu Xu, a female member of the PLAAF's August 1st Air Demonstration Team, who was killed on Nov. 12 doing aerobatics and who has become a national hero.

Both women and 14 other female high school graduates from across China enrolled at the PLAAF Aviation University in September 2005 Some 10 female helicopter pilots are said to fly for police forces and general aviation companies.

The WZ-10 can be armed with a wide variety of weapons. This includes three types of autocannon up to 30 mm; the HJ-8, HJ-9 and HJ-10 anti-tank missiles; the TY-90 air-to-air missile and unguided air-to-ground rockets. The HJ-10 is the Chinese equivalent of the American AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missile 

Tagschina, first female combat pilots, WZ-10 attack helicopter, People's Liberation Army, People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Yun Lu, Pu Yuting, Zhou Jiao, Wang Wenjuan and Liaohuang Xiaochuan