US Air Force to train 1,500 pilots annually — Breaking Defense – UA.NEWS

US Air Force to train 1,500 pilots annually — Breaking Defense  UA.NEWS

The US Air Force has reached its target of training 1,500 pilots annually, but officials say eliminating a shortage of more than 2,000 aviators could take years. 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. 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. 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. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram. They then move on to the military phase of training in T-6A Texan II aircraft. Candidates for fighter and