US Air Force to train 1,500 pilots annually — Breaking Defense
The US Air Force said it has reached its target of training 1,500 pilots a year. At the same time, eliminating a shortfall exceeding 2,000 aviators could take a long time, Breaking Defense reports.
Shortage of experienced specialists
Lt. Gen. Clark Quinn, head of the US Air Force Air Education and Training Command, said on September 15 that it is impossible to quickly eliminate the pilot shortage. According to him, the outlook is complicated by changes in military personnel retention rates, which largely depend on economic conditions.
A significant part of the shortage concerns staff positions held by aviators with extensive service experience. Quinn noted that training people to this level takes 15–20 years. He stressed that reducing the shortfall will be impossible without graduating 1,500 pilots annually.
New training model
The US Air Force believes it achieved the target with the Future of Undergraduate Pilot Training model, introduced in 2024. At the initial stage, cadets train in civilian programs, obtain a private pilot license, and master basic flight skills.
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They then move on to the military phase of training in T-6A Texan II aircraft. Candidates for fighter and bomber aviation service will also train on T-38 Talon aircraft. US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach linked this graduation rate to staffing new platforms with pilots, including the F-47 fighter and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
Training on the T-7 Red Hawk
The US Air Force is also considering the possibility of eventually concentrating flight training on one aircraft type, the T-7 Red Hawk. Quinn emphasized that no final decision has been made. Among the advantages, he cited reduced logistics and personnel needs, but cautioned that a prolonged inability to operate a single aircraft type would leave the program without a backup option.
According to Quinn, instructors need to gain more flight experience on the T-7 before the command can assess its suitability for all stages of training. Until now, flights in this aircraft have been performed mainly by test pilots, although instructors are already joining them.
