Air Force Unable to Fill Unmanned Cockpits
US Air force Col Bradley Hoaglan wrote a report from the Brookings Institution saying the Air Force can’t fill its annual requirements for unmanned remotely piloted aircraft (UAV/RPA) operators. As reported at the Stars and Stripes,
In 2012, the Air Force filled only 82 percent of its remotely piloted aircraft, or RPA, training slots, while virtually all manned aircraft slots were filled. And as of early this year…the Air Force Academy had only 12 volunteers for its 40 RPA training slots.
The Air Force apparently attributes the problem to a lower promotion rate in the RPA community, training and opportunities not equal to manned aircraft, and the basic perception that remote control airplanes are not as cool as ones you actually fly.
Hoagland offers a solution to this equity gap: The Air Force should just force Airmen into whatever airframe they need people in:
“Basically, if a rated officer is more qualified to fly unmanned aircraft versus manned aircraft, then the AF should place them there,” Hoagland wrote. “The aviation culture in the AF is changing, and now is the time to test the waters on this policy change.”
UAVs/RPAs are just the latest “community” to join the Air Force fighter/bomber/tanker/transport intraservice culture wars. At varying points in the Air Force’s history each has had unique place in both ongoing conflicts and the “cool” factor in greater America. But nothing the Air Force does will make any community precisely equal to any other — least of all creating a special medal just for one.
Hoagland says if they want to man the unmanned cockpits, the Air Force should just force Airmen in. Of course, when it did that to pilots, it created a pilot retention problem that resulted in a near-record setting bonus offer to fighter pilots this year and a promise they wouldn’t do that again.
So where do the UAV pilots come from? That can be an interesting question…
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Col Bradley Hoaglan is bucking for BG, and his idea is a bad idea.
Make UAV pilot an enlisted career field; I know many that would jump at the chance. Pilots want a great career flying combat/transport aircraft, not robots. This could ultimately lead to another successful career flying for a commercial airline. We need commercial pilots too!
From what I understand, the reason they don’t allow this be an enlisted career field is because of the commitment of a weapon; and apparently only an officer can understand what it means to drop a bomb and kill people. This is BS! Our troops shoot 20 mm cannons and other large munitions at the bad guys on the “orders” of their superior officer(s)…what the diff?
Unfortunately, they will likely push pilots into those slots. Big AF is doing similar things with enlisted careers forcing people into special duty jobs whether they volunteer or not. I don’t blame the aviators though. I would not want to be locked up in a box flying a virtual airplane for 8 hours at a time either. Why cant AF fill the slots? probably because the job sucks. I think RPA pilot duty seems to hurt careers more than anything. Basically they are flying model airplanes with missiles on the wings. Ive read articles that indicate promotions come slower and career advancement slows down/stalls out. I dont know about enlisted folks flying them, but non-rated officers could probably handle it and even enjoy the opportunity.