The Air Force’s fighter pilots are flying far fewer sorties than the level typically used to judge combat readiness, according to reporting based on analysis of recent activity. Military Times and Air Force Times both cite a Mitchell Institute expert who says pilots are averaging about one sortie per month.
This rate is described as well below the roughly nine sorties per month used as a benchmark for being deemed combat mission capable. The outlets present this gap as a readiness concern tied to training and operational tempo, though they focus primarily on the reported sortie minimums and the comparison between current flying and the benchmark.
Both articles draw from the same general assessment and reach the same core conclusion: that current sortie production for fighter pilots does not meet the cited minimum standard. The reporting does not detail the specific causes of the shortfall or provide country or unit-level breakdowns in the excerpts provided.
