Navy's First Black Female Fighter Pilot Earns Her Wings

A Navy officer has made history this week as the service's first African American woman to become a fighter jet pilot, the service said.

 "BZ to Ltjg Madeline Swegle on completing the Tactical Air (Strike) aviator syllabus," the Twitter account for the chief of naval air training said Thursday, using a Navy abbreviation meaning well done. "Swegle is the US Navy's first known Black female TACAIR pilot and will receive her Wings of Gold later this month. HOOYAH!"

Graduates of the tactical air program generally go on to fly F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers or F-35C Joint Strike Fighters.

Swegle's achievement appears to have first been made public Tuesday when Twitter user @paigealissa posted photos of the Naval aviator smiling and celebrating next to a T-45C Goshawk two-seat training jet at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas.

"Just my best friend making history," she wrote.

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for further details on the achievement. Swegle, of Burke, Va., graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2017. She is assigned to the Redhawks of Training Squadron 21 in Kingsville, Navy photo captions stated.

Swegle will receive her wings of gold at a ceremony slated for July 31, the Navy captions said.

"Go forth and kick butt," said Rear Adm. Paula Dunn, the Navy's vice chief of information, after lauding Swegle on Twitter.