China’s armed forces will recruit women to pilot aircraft from aircraft carriers for the first time, which also includes students who are not enrolled in military schools, China’s official Global Times newspaper reported on Wednesday, EFE and Agerpres reported.

This news is “a historic step for women in China’s armed forces,” the quoted publication writes.

China currently has two aircraft carriers: the Russian-built Liaoning and sister ships to the single domestically-built Shandong, launched in late 2019, and the Fujian, inaugurated last summer.

The Navy’s pilot recruitment plan for 2023 has been expanded to include science and engineering graduates from civilian universities, students serving in the Navy and graduates already enlisted in the Navy, the Global Times reported.

Until now, only graduates of military schools had access to these positions.

“Carrier pilots are the backbone of the aircraft carrier’s combat capability, and the accelerated transformation of China’s naval forces means that the need for such pilots is becoming more acute,” a Chinese official said on condition of anonymity.

According to defense analyst Song Zhongping, China has 100 aircraft carriers for which it needs about 200 pilots.