According to the Pentagon data, the Air and Army National Guard and Army and Navy Reserve fell below their recruiting goals for February. ANG recruiters only found 92 percent of their goal, ending a run of strong recruiting months in the first part of the fiscal year. All of the active forces achieved or bettered their February recruiting goals and are maintaining good retention numbers. Air Guard retention slipped somewhat, to 97 percent of its cumulative goal. Still, ANG stands at 99 percent of its authorized end strength.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.