In this episode, Heather “Lucky” Penney discusses why the Air Force has a chronic pilot shortfall and solutions to solve it with Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, USAF (Ret) and Lt Gen Marc Sasseville, USAF (Ret).

Bottom line: the Air Force’s pilot corps is now too small to sustain a healthy combat force that can prevail in a peer conflict and meet the nation’s other national security requirements. Air Force leaders recognize the shortfall and have worked hard to address it, but underlying and external factors persist. Effective joint force operations demand robust combat airpower. Pilot experience is critical to this effort. Join us to understand what’s driving these challenges and what defense leaders and Congress need to do to fix it.

Guests

Lt Gen Joseph T. Guastella, USAF (Ret.)Former Deputy Chief of Staff, USAF

Lt Gen Marc H. Sasseville, USAF (Ret.)

Host

Heather PenneySenior Resident Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Credits

Related Reading

• Want Combat Airpower? Then Fix the Air Force Pilot Crisis (Publication)