DoD Says Fixing The Problem Will Be Long And Expensive

A new Department of Defense study released to congress last week highlights the critical nature of the pilot shortage faced by the U.S. Air Force. And while the service and the Pentagon are attacking the problem from all angles, digging out of the current hole will be a long and expensive process, according to the report.

The Federal News Network reports that the current need in the Air Force is 800 active duty and 1,150 reserve pilots. But the Rand Corporation estimates that the active duty pilot roster will face a shortfall of 1,607 pilots by 2023.

As airline pilots reach their mandatory retirement age, more and more military pilots are likely to be lured away by airlines with large salaries and bonus packages. Some 30,000 pilots are expected to retire from their airline jobs by 2026, leading to a huge talent drain on the Air Force and other services as pilots leave the military and take those jobs. “A balanced pilot production, absorption and sustainment system is critical to meeting pilot requirements,” the DoD report states. “The number of pilots produced at undergraduate pilot training (UPT) has to be able to flow to the formal training units (FTU) and then to an operational unit where they are ‘absorbed.’ There is no benefit to producing more pilots than can flow through the entire pipeline. Delays or breaks in training can undermine student learning and proficiency and frustrate the entire pipeline.”

But even if everything goes perfectly in that pipeline, the report states that even if the Air Force exceeds its target of 1,400 new pilots next year, "even that significant improvement won’t get the Air Force to its production requirements in the out years."

“To achieve the increased production, multiple issues will need to be addressed, to include: increase fighter pilot staffing, increased funding for weapons system sustainment and additional aircraft for both training and absorption in operational squadrons,” the study states. “Due to current imbalances in the production pipeline, delays throughout the training phase from commissioning through absorption at operational units are further restricting the Air Force’s ability to meet fighter pilot requirements.”

A recent Rand study shows the cost of training a qualified fighter pilot ranges from $5.6 million for an F-16 pilot to $10.9 million for an F-22 pilot. The study said that the Air Force would need to increase its incentive pay to $100,000 per year to retain mid-career pilots, but the current retention packages are nowhere near that level, and many pilots are being lured away by big salaries from airlines.

(Image from file)

FMI: Source report