Annual bonus pay programs aim to keep airmen around to blunt the effects of a pilot shortage that has lasted decades. A dearth of workers is the biggest challenge for the U.S. shipbuilding industry, naval advocates say. The Army and Navy want to give more money to pilots whose service is ending, but they're blocked by bureaucracy. Unit commanders may allow the desert-colored camouflage combat utility uniform or the flame-resistant organizational gear, known as FROGs. Pilots whose initial contracts expire in fiscal 2024 or 2025 can sign new agreements to serve for another four to 12 years. For now, only commissioned officers can pilot the Marine Corps' MQ-9 aircraft. Pilots, air battle managers and combat systems operators who sign new contracts will receive between $15,000 and $50,000 annually for three to 12 years. Each service has its own vision requirements for enlistment or commission. But within the branches, specific occupations have different standards. The Air Force expects pilot training shortfalls through the end of the fiscal year, and that the J85 enterprise won’t fully recover until April 2024. The service has nibbled at the edges of a 2,000-pilot shortage for years. Load More