USAF Facing Massive Pilot Shortage

[cloud4000]

(CNN)Senior Air Force officials said Wednesday the Air Force will face a shortage of 700 fighter pilots by the end of 2016. That shortfall is estimated to grow to 1,000 by 2022.

The gap in pilots marks a sharp increase since March, when Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle testified before Congress that the Air Force needed 511 fighter jet pilotsto adequately carry out current missions.

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said the military is facing increasingly competitive hiring from the commercial airlines, so they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer.

"The airlines are forecasted to be hiring a lot more. They already are," she told reporters at the Pentagon.
The officials said they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer. Currently, they offer $25,000 a year to stay up to nine years.

"We've got to make sure that we remain competitive," Goldfein said.

In addition to a pay boost, Goldfein, a former fighter pilot, added that it was necessary to improve the "quality of service," which he said involved making sure pilots can remain engaged when not flying combat operations.

"The reality is, pilots who don't fly, maintainers who don't maintain, controllers who don't control are not going to stay with the company because we're not allowing them to be the very best they can be," he said.
In addition to retention, James also said the Air Force was taking steps to train more new pilots, saying the Air Force would establish additional F-16 training locations.

The Air Force officials also addressed the shortfalls it faces with regard to drone operators, announcing a move to boost their retention bonus from $25,000 to $35,000 for each of five years to stay on duty.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/10/us/us-air-force-pilot-shortage/index.html

 

[jhungary]

(CNN)Senior Air Force officials said Wednesday the Air Force will face a shortage of 700 fighter pilots by the end of 2016. That shortfall is estimated to grow to 1,000 by 2022.

The gap in pilots marks a sharp increase since March, when Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle testified before Congress that the Air Force needed 511 fighter jet pilotsto adequately carry out current missions.

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said the military is facing increasingly competitive hiring from the commercial airlines, so they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer.

"The airlines are forecasted to be hiring a lot more. They already are," she told reporters at the Pentagon.
The officials said they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer. Currently, they offer $25,000 a year to stay up to nine years.

"We've got to make sure that we remain competitive," Goldfein said.

In addition to a pay boost, Goldfein, a former fighter pilot, added that it was necessary to improve the "quality of service," which he said involved making sure pilots can remain engaged when not flying combat operations.

"The reality is, pilots who don't fly, maintainers who don't maintain, controllers who don't control are not going to stay with the company because we're not allowing them to be the very best they can be," he said.
In addition to retention, James also said the Air Force was taking steps to train more new pilots, saying the Air Force would establish additional F-16 training locations.

The Air Force officials also addressed the shortfalls it faces with regard to drone operators, announcing a move to boost their retention bonus from $25,000 to $35,000 for each of five years to stay on duty.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/10/us/us-air-force-pilot-shortage/index.html

The retention bonus in the US is a joke, at least for Most Officer......

I had a 4 years hitch with the Army, I was offered 30,000 to stay with my post and re-up for 2 years. But the trick is, you will not see that money until your new contract is finished, and it was also taxed (Who taxed bonuses anyway) On the other hand, you earn a lot more to work in private sector anyway, so that $30,000 top up bonus really not anything big.

It would be a big money if you are an enlisted, when you earn less than your bonus in a year, and you come out with dead end job, you would be a lot better off to take the bonus and stay with the Military, but for specialist officer (like pilot and stuff like that) there are always no lacking of private sector waiting in line to hire you. And they are willing to pay you more because they don't need to train you again. To those people, the re-up bonus is simply a joke...

 

[cloud4000]

The retention bonus in the US is a joke, at least for Most Officer......

I had a 4 years hitch with the Army, I was offered 30,000 to stay with my post and re-up for 2 years. But the trick is, you will not see that money until your new contract is finished, and it was also taxed (Who taxed bonuses anyway) On the other hand, you earn a lot more to work in private sector anyway, so that $30,000 top up bonus really not anything big.

It would be a big money if you are an enlisted, when you earn less than your bonus in a year, and you come out with dead end job, you would be a lot better off to take the bonus and stay with the Military, but for specialist officer (like pilot and stuff like that) there are always no lacking of private sector waiting in line to hire you. And they are willing to pay you more because they don't need to train you again. To those people, the re-up bonus is simply a joke...

US airlines are also facing a pilot shortage, so they are starting to poach pilots from the military. Plus airlines are paying good salaries for pilots, including six figure salaries, benefits, bonus. US military needs to up its game if it wants to retain its pilots.

 

[jhungary]

US airlines are also facing a pilot shortage, so they are starting to poach pilots from the military. Plus airlines are paying good salaries for pilots, including six figure salaries, benefits, bonus. US military needs to up its game if it wants to retain its pilots.

Actually, only the big 3 airlines (United, American and Northwest) is paying 6 digit for commercial pilot, all regional and connection/charter airlines only pays 65,000 per captain and about 30,000 for first officer. Commuter Airlines paying shit amount of money, but on the other hand, you get good hours (they almost fly you non-stop) and our military did not give enough flight hours for our own pilot. And pilot need flight hours.

 

[Moon]

(CNN)Senior Air Force officials said Wednesday the Air Force will face a shortage of 700 fighter pilots by the end of 2016. That shortfall is estimated to grow to 1,000 by 2022.

The gap in pilots marks a sharp increase since March, when Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle testified before Congress that the Air Force needed 511 fighter jet pilotsto adequately carry out current missions.

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said the military is facing increasingly competitive hiring from the commercial airlines, so they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer.

"The airlines are forecasted to be hiring a lot more. They already are," she told reporters at the Pentagon.
The officials said they are working on a plan for an increased retention bonus to get pilots to stay longer. Currently, they offer $25,000 a year to stay up to nine years.

"We've got to make sure that we remain competitive," Goldfein said.

In addition to a pay boost, Goldfein, a former fighter pilot, added that it was necessary to improve the "quality of service," which he said involved making sure pilots can remain engaged when not flying combat operations.

"The reality is, pilots who don't fly, maintainers who don't maintain, controllers who don't control are not going to stay with the company because we're not allowing them to be the very best they can be," he said.
In addition to retention, James also said the Air Force was taking steps to train more new pilots, saying the Air Force would establish additional F-16 training locations.

The Air Force officials also addressed the shortfalls it faces with regard to drone operators, announcing a move to boost their retention bonus from $25,000 to $35,000 for each of five years to stay on duty.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/10/us/us-air-force-pilot-shortage/index.html

All the more reasons to built UCAVs with AI.
Tell the UCAV to strike a certain place, give it's coordinates to it. UCAV takes off base performs strike, lands back. Tell it to perform fighter sweeps in the area. Establish a well integrated friend and foe system in the AI. And a secure satellite connection.

 

[cloud4000]

All the more reasons to built UCAVs with AI.
Tell the UCAV to strike a certain place, give it's coordinates to it. UCAV takes off base performs strike, lands back. Tell it to perform fighter sweeps in the area. Establish a well integrated friend and foe system in the AI. And a secure satellite connection.

I think air forces all over the world are already heading that way, especially in ground attack missions. But air-to-air mission, even with BVR capabilities, pilots are still needed.

 

[Moon]

I think air forces all over the world are already heading that way, especially in ground attack missions. But air-to-air mission, even with BVR capabilities, pilots are still needed.

For now . But put a good radar and a computer with a UCAV and by using the friend foe system, it could track hostile aircrafts in the vicinity and fire the missiles. Or even fly as alongside a manned plane abiding it's orders and using it's radars to scan a vast area around the plane to be able to spot enemies a great distance away, and not to mention potential SAM sites etc... or a large sized drone which could carry a laser weapon (considering US scientists have said it's possible to place a Laser on a C-130).
But even if UCAVs have an A2G role and entirely replaces American Armed Forces' ground attack roles, a great deal of pilots could be available for Air to Air missions.