Aircrew numbers

1.8 The Department does not have accessible historical data on the number of aircrew completing the full three-phase training process. However, using students completing Phase 2 training as a proxy, as at April 2019, students completing training did not match the Department's requirements (Figure 3). This shortfall has varied between 48 (21%) in 2015-16 and 293 (86%) in 2018-19. In the six years to 2018-19, the average aircrew requirement was 257, but an average of 132 personnel completed Phase 2 training over this period. This represents an average shortfall of 125 students and an average percentage shortfall of 45% over the six years to 2018-19.

1.9 To be ready for front-line service, students passing their Phase 2 training must then complete Phase 3 within their front-line commands. Between 2015-16 and 2018-19, the Department has filled 94% (910) of the 965 Phase 3 places provided by the three front-line commands, principally from those completing their Phase 2 training. Should more students finish Phase 2, the Department must increase Phase 3 training capacity so students can complete their training.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Figure 3

Number of aircrew completing Phase 2 training, 2011-12 to 2020-21

The Ministry of Defence (the Department) has not trained enough aircrew to meet its requirements

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

Requirement

391

202

228

231

230

245

263

342

375

396

Total UK aircrew trained

Fast jet

n/a

n/a

14

10

19

11

15

17

28

38

Multi-engine

n/a

19

27

22

28

20

26

18

67

48

Helicopter

57

44

67

67

86

77

38

0

55

80

Rear crew

n/a

28

41

40

49

44

42

14

79

92

Total

n/a

n/a

149

139

182

152

121

49

229

258

Shortfall

n/a

n/a

79

92

48

93

142

293

146

138

Percentage

35%

40%

21%

38%

54%

86%

39%

35%

International students

2

10

4

Total trained

149

139

182

154

126

53

229

258

Notes

1 As the Ministry of Defence (the Department) compiled actual figures from both its systems and discussions with training sites, we have not been able to fully quality-assure these figures. These differ from the student database that the Department uses for internal reporting and to monitor training times.

2 Requirement shows the number of trained UK aircrew the Department needs to complete Phase 2 training. Up to and including 2017-18, this reflects the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010, after which it reflects the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

3 International students do not count towards the United Kingdom's requirement. The Department has committed to train some international students from 2019-20 onwards.

4 Figures from 2019-20 reflect current forecasts.

5 Percentage figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Source: National Audit Office analysis of Ministry of Defence data
____________________________________________________________________________________________