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The RAF is facing a pilot shortage after a diversity hiring schemebackfired.
An official document has revealed the Royal Air Force’s need for “a higher number of pilots in training”.
The Air Force is so short-staffed that candidates who were previously rejected are being urged to reapply, as well as older applicants who have experience in “flying-related roles”.
The pleas come as Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the UK’s willingness to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” to help Ukraine secure a peace deal.
The Prime Minister has already announced a boost in defence spending, which will increase to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027.
The RAF now needs a “higher number of pilots in training”, according to a document seen by the Daily Mail.
Air chiefs want the gaps filled by those who may have previously been rejected.
In an RAF internal briefing note titled “Opportunities for professional transfer to the pilot specialisation”, staff are encouraged to transfer because of a need for more pilots “required for flying training”.
Candidates must be younger than 24 when they apply, although older applicants with experience in similar roles would be considered.
The same scheme is open to weapons systems operators.
Mark Francois, the shadow Armed Forces minister, told the paper: “The RAF’s availability of combat pilots has been hit by a perfect storm: including woke manipulation of recruiting practices, the revival of civilian airlines post-Covid and technical issues with training aircraft, particularly engine reliability on the Hawk T2.
“All this really matters. If we are now going to see ‘jets in the sky’ defending any Ukrainian peace deal, then we need enough trained pilots to fly them.
“As we approach VE Day celebrations, it is worth remembering that the RAF never ran out of Spitfires or Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain, but we very nearly ran out of fighter pilots.”
The shortage comes after the RAF’s diversity drive was found to be unlawful to white male would-be recruits.
Under Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston’s stewardship, the air force committed to having 40 per cent women and 20 per cent of personnel from ethnic minorities by 2030.
During the drive, leaked emails showed air chiefs were told to stop choosing “useless white male pilots” in an attempt to improve diversity.
In 2023, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton apologised following an inquiry into the bias.
Sir Richard admitted that the force’s recruitment process had erroneously “fast-tracked” 161 enlisted aviators, who were either women or from ethnic minority backgrounds, into initial training before other candidates between 2020 and 2021.
He acknowledged that the RAF conceded “some men experienced discrimination” as a result, citing a group of 31 individuals who likely missed the chance to qualify for a £5,000 joining bonus.
The RAF shortage also comes as the former head of the Army last year warned Britain’s security had been put “at risk” because of a helicopter training crisis.
Lord Dannatt said underfunding had resulted in a lack of engineers to maintain aircraft, meaning flying lessons had been paused.
An RAF spokesman told the Daily Mail: “We have sufficient pilots and aircrew to conduct all current operations and service the front line.
“Additionally, active management of the flying training system has reduced training times and the backlog of student aircrew in the training pipeline.
“This good progress has enabled us to reopen aircrew applications for serving personnel.”
An RAF Spokesman said: “These claims are nonsense. We have sufficient pilots and aircrew to conduct all current operations and service the front line.
“The past RAF recruitment discrimination issue has no relevance to pilot training or recruitment.
“We have made good progress in improving the flying training system which has enabled us to reopen aircrew applications for serving personnel. These improvements have reduced training times and shortened the backlog of student aircrew in the training pipeline.”
RAF facing pilot shortage after diversity scheme backfires
The RAF is facing a pilot shortage after a diversity hiring schemebackfired.
An official document has revealed the Royal Air Force’s need for “a higher number of pilots in training”.
The Air Force is so short-staffed that candidates who were previously rejected are being urged to reapply, as well as older applicants who have experience in “flying-related roles”.
The pleas come as Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the UK’s willingness to put “boots on the ground and planes in the air” to help Ukraine secure a peace deal.
The Prime Minister has already announced a boost in defence spending, which will increase to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027.
The RAF now needs a “higher number of pilots in training”, according to a document seen by the Daily Mail.
Air chiefs want the gaps filled by those who may have previously been rejected.
In an RAF internal briefing note titled “Opportunities for professional transfer to the pilot specialisation”, staff are encouraged to transfer because of a need for more pilots “required for flying training”.
Candidates must be younger than 24 when they apply, although older applicants with experience in similar roles would be considered.
‘Woke manipulation of recruiting practices’
The same scheme is open to weapons systems operators.
Mark Francois, the shadow Armed Forces minister, told the paper: “The RAF’s availability of combat pilots has been hit by a perfect storm: including woke manipulation of recruiting practices, the revival of civilian airlines post-Covid and technical issues with training aircraft, particularly engine reliability on the Hawk T2.
“All this really matters. If we are now going to see ‘jets in the sky’ defending any Ukrainian peace deal, then we need enough trained pilots to fly them.
“As we approach VE Day celebrations, it is worth remembering that the RAF never ran out of Spitfires or Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain, but we very nearly ran out of fighter pilots.”
The shortage comes after the RAF’s diversity drive was found to be unlawful to white male would-be recruits.
Under Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston’s stewardship, the air force committed to having 40 per cent women and 20 per cent of personnel from ethnic minorities by 2030.
During the drive, leaked emails showed air chiefs were told to stop choosing “useless white male pilots” in an attempt to improve diversity.
In 2023, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton apologised following an inquiry into the bias.
Sir Richard admitted that the force’s recruitment process had erroneously “fast-tracked” 161 enlisted aviators, who were either women or from ethnic minority backgrounds, into initial training before other candidates between 2020 and 2021.
Lack of engineers
He acknowledged that the RAF conceded “some men experienced discrimination” as a result, citing a group of 31 individuals who likely missed the chance to qualify for a £5,000 joining bonus.
The RAF shortage also comes as the former head of the Army last year warned Britain’s security had been put “at risk” because of a helicopter training crisis.
Lord Dannatt said underfunding had resulted in a lack of engineers to maintain aircraft, meaning flying lessons had been paused.
An RAF spokesman told the Daily Mail: “We have sufficient pilots and aircrew to conduct all current operations and service the front line.
“Additionally, active management of the flying training system has reduced training times and the backlog of student aircrew in the training pipeline.
“This good progress has enabled us to reopen aircrew applications for serving personnel.”
An RAF Spokesman said: “These claims are nonsense. We have sufficient pilots and aircrew to conduct all current operations and service the front line.
“The past RAF recruitment discrimination issue has no relevance to pilot training or recruitment.
“We have made good progress in improving the flying training system which has enabled us to reopen aircrew applications for serving personnel. These improvements have reduced training times and shortened the backlog of student aircrew in the training pipeline.”
