During his Feb. 17 meeting with defense reporters (see above), the Air Force’s top uniformed official, Gen. Norton Schwartz, discussed the Air Force’s commitment to the joint fight, including making “some adjustments” to its existing force mix, if necessary. In “Analytically Driven,” Daily Report senior editor Michael Sirak covers the Chief’s views on joint support, the growth of intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance capability, the need to demolish “long-held beliefs” on the number of F-22s, and the real “demand signal” for additional airmen.
Fixing the Air Force’s chronic combat pilot shortage will require more aircraft in the fleet, more flying hours to squadron operations, and retaining more pilots within Reserve components, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.