YHGTBSM

He'd get a lot further towards retention by eliminating all the PC BS. The current administration might even let him do it if he asked.

Here are some ideas that might help:
- reduce additional duties, let pilots fly
- increase flying hour programs, let pilots fly
- reduce PCS's, let families grow roots
- increase flight pay substantially, combine the bonus into flight pay so it comes as a monthly incentive.
- remove toxic leaders, I don't know how to do this , but it needs to happen

Translation:

"I can't (or don't want to) fix these internal problems in the AF that are causing retention issues, so instead I'm going to try and change the external market forces."

This problem is self correcting.

One of the reasons current military pilots are flying is because they're not fully funded. When you look at the hourly cost to fly JSF it's estimated to be triple (at least) the cost. That's just operations, not acquisition.

JSF pilots probably will spend all their time in the sim, and rarely touch the actual jet. If you're not flying the aircraft you're not building flight time = retention forever.

Problem solved.

Right, only use the jets for enough to keep the systems lubed and for actual combat.

I've been hearing him talk a lot about eliminating additional duties and queep, but I've yet to see anything actually change. There are so many CBTs that could be eliminated by tomorrow and nobody would miss them.

The AF (all military really) pilot retention problem will fix itself (different take than awax).

Drones will replace most of the manned cockpits sooner than later. With the F-35 we might have the last manned fighter. Bombers next. Transports last. It will certainly happen sooner in military airplanes than civil/airline airliners.

Shack. Rather than fix the problem we'll just hold you hostage.

"leadership" with a lower case L. Robin Olds is rolling over in his grave.

Nowhere near fast enough. Both Navy and AF are starting conceptual analysis of the "6th Gen" fighter. It may have a provision to be optionally manned. Maybe. But my guess is that they'll drop that feature...too costly to implement, with unknown ROI and too many risks.