THE UAE’S FIRST female fighter pilot spent several years working for General Command waiting for the air force academy to open up to female recruits so she could achieve her dream of flying for the armed forces. The now veteran F-16 operations pilot gained international media attention in 2014 when she led airstrike missions against ISIL. A few months earlier, she also picked up the Mohammed bin Rashid Excellence Award, taking home the Pride of the Emirates medal.