The roughly 2,100-pilot shortfall, which the former Air Force secretary once warned could "break the force" has remained largely unchanged over the last few years.
The Air Force allowed up to 1,000 recently-retired pilots, combat systems officers and air battle managers to return to active duty. But so far, far fewer have expressed interest in the program.
The percentage of manned aircraft pilots accepting hefty bonuses to stay in the Air Force stopped its slide in fiscal 2018. But turning on the cash spigot appears to have had limited effect in some areas.
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