Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh estimates the military service will need at least 40,000 more airmen in order to maximize its manpower capacity, Air Force Times reported Saturday.
Oriana Pawlyk writes the Air Force aims to build up the branch’s intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and cyber units as well as train more pilots to operate its fleet of F-35s.
“People are a limiting factor right now,” Welsh told audience at an Air Force Association breakfast event held Thursday in Washington, according to the report.
“And adding more burden to them in any way, shape or form is a bad idea.”
The report said the service branch also seeks to increase the number of its drone-based combat air patrol missions from 60 to 70 flights per day.
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