Air Education and Training Command is looking at injecting reserve component fighter pilots, or even civilian instructors, into the introduction to fighter fundamentals course to ease USAF’s fighter pilot shortage. “I have three squadrons of IFF that are 100 percent fighter-pilot manned,” AETC boss Gen. Robin Rand said at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium, Feb. 13. “I think we can take a look at that blend again—Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, and using the model that we already have in other places in the command of bringing some civilians in,” he added. The Air Force also is looking to top-up its under-manned ROTC detachment cadres with the same mix. “ROTC dets are typically now manned at 66 percent—there’s no more juice to squeeze to get Active Duty manning,” Rand explained in Orlando. He said he is working on a proposal to get Guard and Reserve leaders who “want to motivate young men and women” in addition to bringing back retired service members who want to “come back and be one of our cadre,” Rand said.
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
