Well it is just RL being very forward-thinking and having a well thought-out plan for the future - as RAFAT has already commented: "... as well as the man himself saying at a Base Captains meeting that he wouldn't need any of them in 10 years anyway as THE AIRCRAFT WOULD BE FLYING THEMSELVES BY THEN!".
I think the Navy has been developing a drone Jetstream, so pilot shortage is on the way to being solved. Easy.