Service to Drop 6,500 Active Duty Jobs Over Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027

The US Army recently confirmed its plans to thin out its active duty aviation ranks, cutting 6,500 positions as it phases in unmanned systems. The changes are slated to begin in the coming months and continue through fiscal year 2027.

“The Army is transforming aviation to meet future operational demands — faster, leaner, and more capable," said Army spokesman Maj. Montrell Russell. “This initiative ensures Army aviation is integrated across components, modernized in capability, and optimized for global mission requirements.”

Currently, about 30,000 soldiers serve in aviation roles ranging from pilots to support crews. By the time the cuts are finished, roughly one in five of those positions will be gone.

To sort out who stays and who goes, the Army is convening ‘talent panels’ beginning in October. These boards will review junior warrant officers, lieutenants, and captains assigned to Apache and Black Hawk units, deciding whether they will remain in aviation or be reclassified into other branches by leveraging officer evaluations, input from aviation leaders, and progress toward achieving “pilot in command” status.

Panels will be chaired by a brigadier general, with senior warrant officers and a former brigade commander rounding out the process. The Army hasn’t ruled out holding similar reviews for enlisted aviation troops, though officials insist that they are attempting to retain “as many qualified personnel as possible.”

The service frames the change as a necessary modernization initiative, meaning it is “rapidly transforming to meet the changing character of war and leverage these technological advancements,” Russell continued.

“While Army aviation remains an essential member of the combined arms team, the use of airspace for maneuver that was once unique to our aviation formations is now becoming accessible to Soldiers in multiple formations via drone technology, reducing training requirements for conducting such operations,” he added.

FMI: www.army.mil