What Happened to Heather Renee Penney?

Heather Renee Penney, born on September 18, 1974, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, grew up immersed in aviation as the daughter of a retired Air Force Colonel. She earned her pilot's license at 18 and pursued a Bachelor's and Master's degree in American Studies from Purdue University. Despite initial restrictions on women in combat aviation, Penney joined the District of Columbia Air National Guard in 1996 after Congress opened combat roles to women in 1993, becoming one of the first female fighter pilots and the only woman in her F-16 fighter squadron.

Her most widely recognized act of service occurred on September 11, 2001. As a First Lieutenant with the 121st Fighter Squadron, she and her flight lead, Colonel Marc Sasseville, were scrambled from Andrews Air Force Base with orders to intercept United Airlines Flight 93, which was believed to be heading towards Washington, D.C. Due to the urgency, their F-16s were unarmed, carrying only dummy rounds. Their mission was a one-way, suicidal endeavor: to ram the hijacked Boeing 757 to prevent it from reaching its target. Fortunately, the brave passengers of Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers, causing the plane to crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, before Penney and Sasseville could intercept it.

Penney continued her distinguished military career, serving two combat tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2006, where she operated as a 'SCUD Hunter' and provided close air support to Special Operations Forces. She flew the F-16 for ten years before transitioning to flying VIP Special Airlift Missions and eventually retiring as a Major in 2016. In 2006, while still serving part-time, Penney joined Lockheed Martin as a director of USAF Air Superiority Programs, contributing significantly to projects like the F-22, F-16, and F-35 training programs. She left Lockheed Martin in 2018.

Since leaving Lockheed Martin, Penney has become a Senior Resident Fellow, and Director of Studies and Research, at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, a prominent think tank under the Air Force Association. In this role, she is a leading defense policy expert, conducting extensive research on cutting-edge defense technologies, force structure, and future operational concepts, with a focus on aerospace power. She is also a highly sought-after public speaker, sharing her experiences on 9/11 and discussing topics such as personal courage, leadership, decision-making under stress, and inclusivity. As of September 2026, Penney continues her work at the Mitchell Institute and maintains an active speaking schedule, including appearances at major conferences. Her F-16 from the 9/11 mission (tail number 86-0255) is slated for preservation at the American Heritage Museum.