MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The US Air Force lacks some 500 trained fighter pilots with the deficit expected to grow to at least 800 by 2022, top US military officials said in testimony submitted to the US Senate Armed Services subcommittee.
“Without these fighter pilots, the Air Force will be very challenged to continue to provide the air supremacy upon which all our other forces depend,” the testimony reads, as quoted by Defense News.
Lt. Gen. John Raymond, the deputy chief of staff for operations at US Air Force headquarters, who was present at the subcommittee hearing, said that the military was experiencing tough competition from commercial airlines that are hiring some 3,500 pilots each month.
Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, also present at the hearing, called on the lawmakers to increase US Air Force spending to address the problem.
The US Air Force FY 2016 budget amounts to $161.8 billion.
