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  If you're trying to become a pilot in the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve, getting selected by a squadron is only the beginning. After you earn that coveted pilot slot, the next major step is learning how to fly for the United States Air Force. And that process is changing. Over the last several years, the Air Force has been rethinking how it produces pilots. UPT 2.5 modernized the traditional Undergraduate Pilot Training model with more simulation, virtual reality, and individualized instruction. Now, the Air Force is moving toward another major evolution: Future Undergraduate Pilot Training, or FUPT . So what exactly is FUPT? How is it different from the UPT system you've probably heard about? And what could these changes mean if you're currently applying for a Guard or Reserve pilot slot? Here's what you need to know. What Was UPT 2.5? For decades, Air Force pilots followed a fairly traditional training pipeline. Students arrived at an Air Force pilot train...

Air Force Pilot Training Is Changing: 1,500 New Pilots Expected in 2026 The Air Force pilot-training pipeline is undergoing one of its biggest changes in years—and if you're trying to earn a pilot slot in the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve, it's worth understanding what is happening. According to a recent report from Military Times , the U.S. Air Force is on track to graduate 1,500 new pilots in fiscal year 2026 , which ends September 30. That number is significant on its own. But the bigger story is how the Air Force is training those pilots . The traditional path to earning Air Force pilot wings is changing through a new approach known as the Future of Undergraduate Pilot Training , or FUPT . And for future Guard and Reserve pilots, these changes could directly affect what your journey from being hired by a squadron to earning your wings looks like. Why Is the Air Force Changing Pilot Training? The Air Force has struggled with a pilot shortage for years. According to...