Fast-Jet Pilot Training Modernisation Choices

Our new research paper by Justin Bronk says NATO air forces are facing a crisis as trainer aircraft fleets are ageing while the demand for fast-jet pilots is rising.

The report examines which aircraft are best suited as replacements across the four phases of fast-jet pilot training - which typically takes four to seven years to complete. It considers the Pilatus PC-21, Leonardo M-346A, Boeing/Saab T-7A and KAI T-50/TA-50 in detail as options for Phase 3 and 4 training.

The report sets out a framework to help inform an optimal choice, based on each air force’s structure, its existing fleet, and whether secondary roles for its training aircraft, such as acting as light-fighters, are required.

Read the full report: https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/research-papers/fast-jet-pilot-training-modernisation-choices

Key Findings

• NATO air forces must expand training capacity at a moment when their advanced trainer fleets also need replacement.
• Spatial disorientation – which simulators cannot replicate – is the leading killer of Western-trained fighter pilots.
• Pilots trained exclusively on turboprop aircraft face greater safety risks when transitioning to frontline jets.

Key Recommendations

• Air forces operating single-seat-only frontline aircraft, such as the F-35, should not rely on turboprop-only Phase 4 training solutions. 
• The M-346A and TA-50 are the standout options.
• Display team needs must not govern trainer procurement.
• Consider shifting parts of the OCU syllabus into Phase 4 to offset the cost of choosing a jet.