The U.S. Air Force could borrow your aircraft to maintain currency for airmen as it contends with its lowest level of fleet readiness in years.
Per a request for information (RFI) published by the Air Force’s Air Combat Command (ACC), dated October 10, the branch is exploring commercial leases with aircraft owners who live near military installations. The RFI asks interested contractors to describe the aircraft—including any FAA airworthiness certificates—and their capabilities by October 24.
The solicitation, which ACC notes is for “market research purposes only,” comes as the Air Force aircraft mission capable rate nosedives to its lowest level in at least a decade, per Air & Space Forces Magazine. For fiscal year 2024, that figure was about 67 percent, down from more than 71 percent in FY22.
The problem is due in part to a shortage of pilots but also an aging fleet. Per Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, the average age of aircraft in its fleet was 32 years in 2024—nearly double what it was two decades prior. Its fleet size of just over 5,000 is also the smallest in its 78-year history.
Aircraft owners could help bridge the gap. The RFI seeks contractors “who are currently in possession of aircraft suitable for aviation operations to support flying currency for qualified USAF pilots.” The aircraft must be capable of these activities without major modifications.
Through commercial leasing agreements, Air Force pilots would have access to the aircraft for “non-qualifying flight operations” that are authorized as civil operations by the FAA. The aircraft would need to be “available within 30 minutes of any USAF Fighter Wing.”
Per the posting, the RFI is an excepted activity amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Augmenting the Air Force
A commercial leasing program could function similarly to the Air Force’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). Air Mobility Command uses the CRAF to borrow aircraft from participating U.S. airlines in emergencies when it does not have enough airlift capacity. As of 2024, more than 25 commercial carriers and 400 aircraft were enrolled in the program.
In exchange, the airlines can bid for military airlift services during peacetime, netting them additional business. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, CRAF aircraft carry 90 percent of the military’s passengers and 40 percent of its cargo every day, both domestically and abroad. Most of the fleet flies internationally, augmenting the Air Force’s Lockheed C-5s and Boeing C-17s. To participate in the international segment, carriers must commit 40 percent of their CRAF-capable aircraft.
CRAF carriers have between 24 and 72 hours to deliver the aircraft when a task is assigned. Capacity is surged on a volunteer basis. But the Air Force can activate segments of the fleet when volunteerism is not enough to meet mission requirements.
Likewise, when the aircraft that would be used for currency flights are off conducting missions, ACC could tap into a pool of leased aircraft to supplement them. Ensuring its pilots are current could be a step toward addressing a chronic shortage—and improving readiness.
