Before the rush starts, be advised that the retired pilots, navigators, or air battle managers the Air Force wants to return to service must be younger than 60 years of age and lieutenant colonels or below. The service has decided to recall retired officers as another way to aid it rapid expansion of unmanned aerial vehicle operators. That does not mean that these returning airmen will get to pilot UAVs, because the Air Force needs some of them to serve in rated staff positions. According to a Feb. 5 release, the service will recall the officers for 24 to 48 months and they could be subject to deployment but will not be eligible for aviator continuation pay. Able-bodied rated officers have until the end of the year to apply. The Air Force Personnel Center has more information.
Sikorsky is pitching a modified "U-Hawk" version of older UH-60 Black Hawk series helicopters as autonomous resupply aircraft with additional capabilities as missile or drone swarm launchers.
