2.11 Flying training depends on having enough civilian and military instructors. The Department is responsible for providing military instructors. Ascent is responsible for training them to instruct on its selected training aircraft. In late 2013, the Department and Ascent agreed to pause advanced jet training for between three and six months to focus on increasing instructor numbers. Ascent did not have a specific incentive to train instructors and there were not enough instructors to train the aircrew needed. The Department and Ascent first identified the likelihood of there being a shortage of instructors in late 2012. It took until late 2013 for them to agree a solution.
2.12 Any increase in instructors affects the availability of pilots for military operations. With fewer pilots overall following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (paragraphs 2.19 to 2.23), any movement of pilots from front-line duties will have a greater impact.9 Further pressure on the availability of qualified military instructors comes from demand for such instructors abroad. The Department understands this risk. It is examining whether it can increase the proportion of civilian instructors to reduce the burden on services to provide instructors, or whether it can offer incentives to retain pilots.
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9 HM Government, Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review, Cm 7948, October 2010.