In today's pool of rated Air Force officers, one finds a total of roughly 4,000 navigators. That is a relative handful, in comparison to the size of the pilot force. At present, Air Force pilots number about 12,000, or 16.3 percent of the total officer corps. The small number of navigators belies the importance of the job. The navigator community is seen within USAF as a key force multiplier in combat operations. Even so, senior Air Force leaders believe that navigators for many years had been prevented from reaching their full career potential. They note the paucity of navigators in top leadership ranks and the outdated nature of their training programs.
展开▼
