In a male-dominated organization like the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), female soldiers are rarely given the spotlight for their achievements. But this does not mean that it’s because there are only a few of them worth mentioning.
Take a look for example at First Lt. Jul Laiza Mae Camposano-Beran.
Camposano-Beran was introduced by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as its first ever female jet fighter pilot.
She is regarded as an SIAI-Marchetti AS211 combat mission ready pilot and wingman. This means that not only does she know how to fly the AS211 light jet combat aircraft, she also knows how to fight in it.
“She knows how to fight in air-to-air, in air-to-ground, air-to-surface in the AS211,” said Col. Maynard Mariano, PAF spokesperson.
Journey
Camposano-Beran, a native of Tulunan, Cotabato, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “SINAGLAHI” Class of 2015.
When she graduated, she became the fifth female in the academy to receive the Athletic Saber Award, besting more than 170 members of her class. The award is given to the cadet who displays an athletic prowess among all other cadets.
In 2017, she graduated from a military pilot training at the Philippine Air Force Flying School.
She was then assigned at the 5th Fighter Wing of PAF based at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
According to PAF, Camposano-Beran is not the first female pilot to learn how to fly an AS211 jet but she is the first one to be educated how to actually fight in it.
“Maraming mga female pilots na lumipad ng S211 pero not the version na AS211, ‘yung warrior natin. So the difference is actually siya ay dumaan sa tinatawag nating fighter fundamentals or combat crew training sa S211 as a prerequisite to be a fighter pilot (We have many female pilots who learned how to fly the S211 but not the warrior version that is the AS211. So the difference is she actually underwent fighter fundamentals or combat crew training in S211 as a prerequisite to be a fighter pilot),” Mariano explained.
“That is something that most of the female pilots before who underwent the S211 that did not experience. This means that this is really our program of instructions for our fighter pilot and she finished that,” he added.
Currently, the PAF has two other female S211 pilots who are undergoing the same training as Camposano-Beran to be a fighter pilot.
AS211 fighter jet
The AS211 aircraft is originally a trainer jet of the PAF but it was converted into a light combat aircraft when the F5 fighter jets were decommissioned in 2005.
“At the time when the F5s were decommissioned, it was the AS211 who took all the role of air defense for the Philippines. It has a very limited performance and capabilities but yet we were able to squeeze out the performance of the aircraft. This enabled us to continue our progress for the fighter pilots so that their air to air skills and air to ground skills will not be gone,” Mariano explained.
“We are using it as a reconnaissance aircraft and to patrol the vastness of the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Right now, the S211 is the primary aircraft used to train pilots who are coming in from the military pilot training.
From the military pilot training, a pilot gets assigned to the 5th Fighter Wing and transitions to train with the AS211. Then they have to undergo a jet qualification training before they move to the next phase of training which is the fighter fundamentals or combat crew training where they learn how to control the aircraft during combat missions.
The whole phase of the training usually lasts for two years.
Moving forward
Camposano-Beran is now being prepared for greater heights. She is undergoing further training to become an FA50 advance fighter jet pilot.
“It’s not gonna be long. Probably after 300 flying hours, she will be evaluated if she is ready for FA50. If she is, then she can transition to the FA50. But then, she is already flying as a backseat pilot in the FA50 and in fact, she has a combat experience as a backseat pilot in the FA50,” Mariano said.