RAF chiefs have launched an urgent search for pilots after a controversial diversity drive aimed at recruiting women and people of ethnic minorities was found to be unlawful.
The Air Force is now encouraging previously overlooked candidates to reapply for training as it scrambles to fill cockpits.
Reports suggest the RAF is suffering from a 30 per cent shortfall in pilots at Flight Lieutenant and Squadron Leader ranks.
The recruitment crisis comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to put “jets in the sky” to protect Ukraine as part of a post-conflict stabilisation force.
Reports suggest the RAF is suffering from a 30 per cent shortfall in pilots at Flight Lieutenant and Squadron Leader ranks
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An official document dated March 5 reveals the RAF requires “a higher number of pilots for training”.
Air chiefs are actively encouraging older candidates with flight experience to sign up.
Applicants must submit paperwork before their 24th birthday, although officers with “flying-related roles” can be older.
The same document shows a similar scheme has been unveiled to train more weapons systems operators.
The urgent need for pilots has become so pressing that candidates previously rejected due to assessment scores are being invited to reapply.
The recruitment drive follows a 2023 official inquiry that found the RAF unlawfully discriminated against white male pilot applicants.
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The recruitment crisis comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to put ‘jets in the sky’ to protect Ukraine as part of a post-conflict stabilisation force
PA
A group of 31 white male pilot trainees were held back and subsequently received compensation.
The RAF was forced to admit its target for 40 per cent female and 20 per cent ethnic minority personnel by 2030 was “unrealistic”.
Group Captain Lizzie Nicholl, then RAF’s head of recruitment, refused to follow the order which she correctly identified as contrary to the Equality Act.
Former RAF head Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston faced resignation calls over the scandal.
Shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois said: “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.”
“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.”
The recruitment drive follows a 2023 official inquiry that found the RAF unlawfully discriminated against white male pilot applicants
PA
He added that during the Battle of Britain, the RAF “never ran out of Spitfires or Hurricanes” but “nearly ran out of fighter pilots.”
The RAF insists it has sufficient pilots and aircrew to conduct all current operations.
A spokesperson said: “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.”
The RAF added that “good progress has enabled us to reopen aircrew applications for serving personnel.”
Training times had reportedly extended to seven years, but RAF sources claim this has been reduced to three and a half years.