I don't actually believe there is a shortage of pilots in our armed forces.
What we have shortage of is clerks and nibby jobs officers.
A tiny percentage of our "aircrew" are actually flying day to day, and those that are fly, on average, ludicrously low hours per month. (stand fast those on ops, themselves a vanishingly small proportion of the total declared aircrew numbers)
I would happily average 100 hrs per month, if flying was all I did.
It is insane to pay us so much money because we are "special" enough to be able to pass flying training, and then utilise most of our time doing jobs that in any sane organisation would be done by clerks or managers paid a quarter of our wage.
It is also insane to have such a ridiculous number of senior officers (who dont fly)for such a tiny military. I bet there is one group captain/captain for every aircraft in theatre.