The Air Force flying hours program—which has suffered steady declines in recent years to the alarm of observers and lawmakers—will stabilize in the coming years as leaders focus on making sure pilots and aircraft alike can actually fly all the hours that are funded, the ...
The Heritage Foundation described the Air Force’s readiness levels as “continuing to spiral downward” in its latest assessment of U.S. military strength, leading the conservative think tank to label USAF’s overall strength as “very weak,” its lowest possible grade on a five-point scale. In particular, the ...
The Air Force’s readiness has hit new lows due to pilot shortages, low flying hours, and aging aircraft, the Heritage Foundation’s 2023 Index of U.S. Military Strength found—leading the conservative think tank to give the service its lowest possible rating of “very weak.” The Space ...
After a brief one-year recovery, flying hours hve begun falling again across the Active Duty Air Force, although there were some gains for the Air National Guard and an overall improvement for the Air Force Reserve. Flying hours correlate to pilot proficiency and are a ...