(NewsNation Now) — An estimated 190,000 Russian troops gathered along the Ukrainian border Monday, keeping allies including the U.S. on edge for possible retaliation. However, a study and two branches of the military say the pandemic has left pilots under-trained.
In January, the Air Force said they’re forced to train pilots “well below what is required to maintain high levels of proficiency.”
The statement mirrors those from the Navy, which told reporters in January that they would “reduce the flying hour accounts” to all their pilots by 10% or 20% in the last quarter and a half of the fiscal year in order to help pilots struggling with training costs.
Both accounts on the issue coincide with white papers from Washington, D.C., conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, which says fighter pilots need at least 200 hours of flight time a year and four sorties — or combat missions — to stay sharp. But according to their report, Air Force flight hours and sortie rates for fighter pilots “fell to historic lows” amid the pandemic.
On Monday, NewsNation’s Joe Donlon brought on retired Air Force test and fighter pilot Chris Gentile to speak on the imminent lapse in fighter pilot training and abilities given the impending crisis in Eastern Europe, which Gentile confirms is an issue.
According to the former airman, a combination of long bouts of low-intensity conflict and missions of “low capacity” against adversaries unlike what the U.S. could be facing has, indeed, led to a level of unpreparedness.
“There’s nothing that quite replicates the challenges and sheer confusion in a major conflict that you just can’t get, you know, flying once a week or less,” Gentile told Donlon. “It impacts how strong you can be on any individual mission and also the diversity of missions that you can train for,” he added.
The U.S. military has been also feeling the effects of America’s economic turmoil.
When Gentile was a young officer, he was able to to fly up tp 250 hours due to the mature fleets that were available. Because today’s program is comprised of new F22s and F35s — complex fighter jets with advanced sensors, precision weapons and stealth ability — they’re more expensive and produced at a slower clip. Gentile says the trickle down has been “less and less hours every year” for pilots to get in the air.
One might point to simulators as a solution to make up for the lack of aircraft, but to truly prepare for a modern combat operation, Gentile says some things cannot be replicated.
“The physiological stresses, the G forces, the heat, the noise, the confusion, and that actual fear that can come with with operating an aircraft is just not present,” he said of simulators.
The true solution, according to Gentile, are the resources needed to bridge the gap.
“Our aircraft are top in the world. Our fighter pilots are the product of decades of training and investments. There’s nothing more expensive in warfare than a second place capability.”