Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      AF rolls out details to improve RPA missionPublished July 15, 2015
                    
                    By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS) --**In response to a critical shortage of remotely piloted aircraft pilots, the Air Force rolled out more details of its plan to fix the problem in both the short and long term. The most recent initiatives include creating bonuses for RPA pilots of $15,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2016; placing some newly minted pilots in RPA squadrons beginning in August; and investing more than $100 million to buy more ground control stations, simulators and contract instructors.
"In a complex global environment, RPA pilots will always be in demand," said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. "Remarkable Airmen have ensured the success of the (MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper) programs. We now face a situation where if we don't direct additional resources appropriately, it creates unacceptable risk. We are working hard to put solutions in place to bring needed relief to our Airmen and ensure our actions show their value to our mission."**Bonus pay**
The Air Force is looking at special and incentive pays to enhance recruiting and retention, as well as recognize RPA pilot contributions to the mission, according to officials. Under this proposal RPA pilots would be able to choose between a Critical Skills Retention Bonus of five years at $15,000 per year or nine years at $15,000 per year. This bonus is similar in value and commitment to what has been offered to aviators in the past who have similar training and experience.  Members who choose either the five- or nine-year option would also be eligible to receive 50 percent payment upfront. 
"We will continue to maintain a persistent focus on this mission set and bring about the necessary relief to sustain operations responsibly," James said. "This is a high demand mission set. It is a national security imperative that we get this right."**Undergraduate pilot training graduates to RPA**
As another part of the solution, about 80 UPT graduates over the next 12 months will be assigned to RPA positions for one assignment tour to help alleviate growing pressure on overtaxed RPA crews. Air Force pilot training bases are at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB; Oklahoma; and Sheppard AFB, Texas. The current plan is to only use the UPT pipeline for one year while the RPA-unique training pipeline increases from approximately 190 to 300 RPA pilot graduates per year. The last time the Air Force placed a UPT graduate directly into the RPA career field was 2011.
“The most critical challenge we face in this mission area is a shortage of RPA pilots and the UPT grads are the fastest way to address that shortfall without sacrificing mission capability in other platforms,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III. “Actions we take today will allow the Air Force to continue to provide world-class, strike-ready (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) over the battlefield and enhance overall combat capability."
As part of the get-well plan, the move to place UPT graduates as RPA pilots addresses a constant demand for real-time ISR in support of combatant commander needs. Those UPT graduates selected will get the requisite RPA training for the MQ-1B or MQ-9. 
"Those selected for RPA duties will serve one tour and then be placed in manned aircraft if desired after completion of that tour," Welsh said. "This will help the Air Force achieve a healthy steady state for the RPA enterprise as soon as possible."**Additional RPA investments and improvements**
In addition to the initiative to place UPT graduates directly into the RPA enterprise, the Air Force increased the use of Guard and Reserve Airmen as well as contractors in order to bring relief to a community in high demand. In April, Air Force leadership worked with the Defense Department to bring relief as the secretary of Defense adjusted the number of required combat air patrols from 65 to 60 by October. Air Force leaders are currently working reprogramming actions within the DOD and Congress to reallocate funding to critical areas like the RPA program. 
The $100 million is part of the omnibus and subject to congressional approval. The omnibus is a tool available to move funds to areas identified as critical mission need areas. Initiatives include buying six next-generation ground control stations, more training simulators and associated facilities, improved software tools, and accelerating the development of automatic takeoff and landing capability.
“On average, an MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilot flies up to 900 hours per year,” James said. “In comparison, fighter pilots fly an average of 250 hours. Due to the demand for services, the MQ-1/9 enterprise is the second largest in the regular Air Force behind only C-17 (Globemaster III) pilots.”
The Air Force is also turning its attention to ensure appropriate manning deficits are addressed in MQ-1/9 training and at the RPA schoolhouse. The Air Force will increase instructor pilot manning at the MQ-1B and MQ-9 Formal Training Unit from 61 to 100 percent due to the combat air patrol reduction and the Air National Guard assistance.
"We must fully man the MQ-1/9 schoolhouse in order to increase student throughput and replenish the force," Welsh said. "The current demand puts requirements for active-duty RPA pilots at about 300 per year, but our current active-duty training production output is only 180 pilots per year. We are projected to hit 3 million flight hours this fall. We have to get this right."
The first MQ-1 operation occurred in 1995. In August 2011, the Predator surpassed 1 million hours of total development, test, training, and combat. In October 2013, the MQ-1 and MQ-9 RPAs accumulated 2 million flight hours. It took 16 years for the community to reach 1 million hours and a mere 2.5 years to double those flight hours. The Air Force expects the undergraduate RPA pilot pipeline to produce enough RPA pilots to sustain current operations by 2017.Remotely Piloted Aircraft 



bonus 



undergraduate 



critically manned 



SecAF 



CSAF 



RPA Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil