comment: >
  
  Not to mention you must have a certain service to put up with in the first place. They were pulling generals from wreckage in Ukraine (even though rank of general is kind of easy to get in Russian army). 
  You can't put young conscript behind the stick in one of the ten jets you have and can't afford to use much less get shot down.
context: 10 planes in existence, all senior pilots either dead or captured. Plane needs to be piloted ALL THE TIME with compensation for releasing the payload. I wonder who will be put in the cockpit. >
  
  yes, and to train new pilots takes long time, I believe US navy pilot training is about two years(?)