Navy careers
Navy
ATAviation

Aviation Electronics Technician

Install, maintain, and repair sophisticated electronic systems in aircraft including radar, navigation, and communication equipment.

ASVAB / entry requirement

ASVAB VE+AR+MK+MC: 217 OR VE+AR+MK+AO: 217

Enlisted
Catalog rank range: E-1 to E-8Maximum rank: E-8Initial term: 5 years

Catalog listing, not a contract offer. Confirm with a recruiter.

Inside the AT Aviation Electronics Technician job

What the job looks like

Aviation Electronics Technicians maintain the radar, navigation, communications, and mission systems on aircraft. Work splits between flight line fault isolation and bench repair of removed components. You use specialized test sets, read complex schematics, and work to tight tolerances. Documentation is mandatory and closely audited because avionics faults affect flight safety. Shipboard operations compress the work into small spaces on a demanding schedule.

Skills you learn

You learn electronics theory, digital systems, and systematic fault isolation using advanced test equipment. Avionics systems including radar, navigation, and mission computers become familiar at component level. The rating teaches soldering, connector repair, and harness fabrication to aviation standards. You gain configuration control and calibration discipline. Experience supports FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification eligibility.

What it builds in you

The job builds rigorous logical thinking, because avionics faults yield only to systematic process. You develop patience for intermittent problems that resist quick answers. It teaches precision in fine work where a cold solder joint causes real failures. Aviation Electronics Technicians tend to become analytical, detail-driven people. You also gain confidence with genuinely complex technology.

How it pays off after service

Avionics technicians are in demand across airlines, corporate aviation, and defense, with strong pay. A&P certification plus avionics experience is a particularly marketable combination. Defense contractors hire for field service, depot repair, and test engineering support roles. The broader electronics field including instrumentation, industrial controls, and medical devices recruits readily. Many veterans add an associate degree and move into engineering technician or systems integration work.

Service member stories

Published personal accounts with source links. Each describes an individual experience, not a typical assignment or a guarantee of your own experience.

“The knowledge shared and gained from my time here [is important to me]. I was able to share my expertise on Low Band Transmitters, and my experiences from working in the Fleet with the engineers and civilian technicians. I gained a lot of new insights and knowledge working on transmitters at a deeper level than many of my fellow service members will ever experience.”

“I believe the role of a technician in this field is becoming more crucial as technology continues to improve and develop.”

“Being able to maintain and repair assets in the Fleet with the knowledge gained here will only improve mission readiness. Developing the skills that allow the Navy to maintain air superiority to protect our aircraft and troops is vital in our nation’s current climate.”

— Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jeffrey WeaverAT2Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division

Quotes are from U.S. government public-domain news stories (DVIDS, army.mil and other official sources). Individuals and units are named as reported at time of publication.

A day in the life of an Aviation Electronics Technician

Your morning opens reviewing avionics gripes and pulling black boxes for bench testing in the electronics shop. You troubleshoot and repair radar, navigation, and communication systems, running built-in tests and swapping line-replaceable units on the aircraft. Precision work with test equipment and coordination with the pilots on system performance defines your day.

Related career-field video—not specific to Navy AT.

No suitable exact-MOS video was verified in the recorded search. This does not establish that none exists.

Related field: shipboard electronics — interior communications perspective. Source occupation: Navy IC.

Watch related video: Interior Communications Electricians Aboard USS George H.W. Bush
Video source and assignment context

An informational video about the Interior Communications Electricians aboard the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Soley Reed)

Official publisher description and direct video page checked; playback not independently watched. Checked 2026-10-25. This assignment may not reflect every posting in this career.

Illustrative annual base pay

$43,902–$74,948

2026 basic pay only; the same grade and service time pay the same across jobs. Promotions are assumed, not promised. Excludes allowances, bonuses and special pays.

  • E-4 · over 4 years: $43,902
  • E-6 · over 10 years: $57,114
  • E-7 · over 20 years: $74,948
Allowances, special pays, pension and full breakdownDFAS 2026 source

Training achievements and distinctions

Possibilities for serving Sailors, including those in support roles—not guaranteed admission or awards. Individual eligibility, assignment, selection, available training or competition places and successful qualification apply.

  • Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS)

    Assignment-dependent qualification and insignia earned aboard a qualifying surface ship or afloat staff—not automatically awarded for this rating.

    Eligibility and official sources for Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS)

    For enlisted Sailors in an eligible surface assignment, including support ratings. Complete the command's current qualification standards, assessments and approval process. A shore or submarine assignment alone does not establish eligibility; confirm current enrollment rules with the command.

  • Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS)

    Assignment-dependent aviation qualification and insignia; support Sailors may qualify at authorized aviation commands.

    Eligibility and official sources for Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS)

    Requires a qualifying aviation assignment or an authorized support-command arrangement, required in-rating technical qualifications and command approval. Current enrollment and pay-grade prerequisites must be checked; this is not a promotion or a badge awarded just for holding this rating.

  • Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare Specialist (EXW)

    Restricted to qualifying expeditionary assignments; recognizes tested field and unit-specific proficiency, including support duties.

    Eligibility and official sources for Enlisted Expeditionary Warfare Specialist (EXW)

    Requires assignment to a command authorized to administer EXW and completion of its general and unit-specific personnel qualification standards and approval process. Published NSW program evidence establishes this route, not that every Navy unit offers it. Confirm current command authorization and prerequisites.

Sources reviewed . Confirm current course and badge requirements with official school guidance and your unit.

Possible higher ranks and career paths

Possible higher ranks and career paths

For Navy AT Aviation Electronics Technician, official service-wide guidance and any exact feeder-list matches are distinguished below from unverified specialty-specific requirements. Ranks are not separate jobs, and these possibilities are not guaranteed promotions or available contracts.

Rank information for this listing

Rank Type
Enlisted
Catalog pay-grade range
Not independently verified for this specialty; no range asserted here.
Maximum Rank
Not independently verified for this specialty.

Examples of higher service ranks

E-5
Petty Officer Second Class
E-6
Petty Officer First Class
E-7
Chief Petty Officer
E-8
Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-9
Master Chief Petty Officer

These are service-wide rank names, not a verified promotion ladder for this specialty. Examples are not exhaustive; appointments sharing a pay grade are not additional promotion steps.

Official military rank reference

The Navy directs enlisted Sailors to rating-specific Learning and Development Roadmaps (LaDRs), and officers to their community managers and officer career-progression guidance. Rating conversion and commissioning are separate application paths, not automatic promotions.

Navy career planning: LaDRs, officer progression, and commissioning

Higher career paths — not verified

Service-level application reference—not a verified next step for this listing

Limited Duty Officer (LDO) and Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) appointments require separate applications and program-specific qualifications. The reviewed active-duty page contains FY28 cycle requirements, not Reserve eligibility. Its 1 October 2026 application deadline has passed; this is not an open application offer or a verified designator match for this listing.

Navy active-duty LDO/CWO applicant requirements

Specialty-specific advancement, senior assignments, and eligibility for a different personnel category have not been verified for this listing. No feeder eligibility or automatic transition to another specialty is implied.

Advancement depends on current service rules, performance, required education, qualifications, selection, and authorized positions—not simply years served. Confirm current requirements with an official recruiter or career counselor.

Related military jobs below are for exploration, not promised progression or confirmed transfer paths.

Sources reviewed 2026-10-03. This is a partial evidence review, not verification of every advancement route for this specialty. Source retrieval dates do not replace policy effective dates.

Civilian careers related to Aviation

Commercial Pilot$122,670 / year medianAircraft Mechanic & Service Technician$75,020 / year medianAir Traffic Controller$144,580 / year median

Career-field mappings, not automatic qualifications. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024 national medians). O*NET links explain each occupation; military experience does not guarantee a job or salary.

Categories & Specializations

Aviation
Electronics
Avionics
Radar
Non-combat

AT questions, answered

What does Navy AT Aviation Electronics Technician do?

Install, maintain, and repair sophisticated electronic systems in aircraft including radar, navigation, and communication equipment.

What can day-to-day work in Aviation Electronics Technician look like?

Aviation Electronics Technicians maintain the radar, navigation, communications, and mission systems on aircraft. Work splits between flight line fault isolation and bench repair of removed components. You use specialized test sets, read complex schematics, and work to tight tolerances. Documentation is mandatory and closely audited because avionics faults affect flight safety. Shipboard operations compress the work into small spaces on a demanding schedule.

What skills does Navy AT Aviation Electronics Technician develop?

You learn electronics theory, digital systems, and systematic fault isolation using advanced test equipment. Avionics systems including radar, navigation, and mission computers become familiar at component level. The rating teaches soldering, connector repair, and harness fabrication to aviation standards. You gain configuration control and calibration discipline. Experience supports FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification eligibility.

How can Aviation Electronics Technician experience translate after service?

Avionics technicians are in demand across airlines, corporate aviation, and defense, with strong pay. A&P certification plus avionics experience is a particularly marketable combination. Defense contractors hire for field service, depot repair, and test engineering support roles. The broader electronics field including instrumentation, industrial controls, and medical devices recruits readily. Many veterans add an associate degree and move into engineering technician or systems integration work.

What entry requirement is listed for Navy AT Aviation Electronics Technician?

ASVAB VE+AR+MK+MC: 217 OR VE+AR+MK+AO: 217. This is the catalog's listed requirement, not an individual eligibility decision. Confirm the current standard and any exceptions with the service.

Can a civilian enter Navy AT Aviation Electronics Technician directly?

This specialty can be pursued through an initial enlistment, subject to eligibility and available contracts. Confirm the current status of this specific classification with an official recruiter.

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Sources & Review

Catalog sources consulted: 2026-09-26. This is not an entry-by-entry verification date. No record-specific verification date is recorded. Occupation audit evidence reviewed: 2026-09-26; this does not re-verify every requirement.

Official branch occupation evidence

Occupation identified. This occupation was identified in the cited source. This does not verify requirements, benefits, or a current opening.

Navy enlisted occupational standards, NAVPERS 18068F, July 2026, Appendix B (rating enumeration) · reviewed 2026-09-26

Confirmed. Catalog evidence is not an inventory of open contracts.

No dated public inventory confirmed a currently open recruiting contract for this role. This does not mean there are no openings. Confirm current eligibility and offers with an official recruiter.

Advertised — Navy, as of 2026-09-28
Signal detailsListed as a specialty on the Navy careers site. Source: Navy official careers listing. This is not a statement that a contract is open for you.

Deployment likelihood: Moderate*

* Estimated. Rank progression and specialty-pay eligibility are illustrative assumptions. Deployment likelihood, when shown, is inferred from similar specialties in the branch and career field, not a published specialty deployment rate.

Descriptions may change. No military role is free from risk of injury or death, including non-combat work. Catalog review dates do not establish current openings or re-verification of every requirement.

Recruiting signals reflect what each branch published on the dates shown. They are not offers, and they do not mean a contract is open for you. Eligibility depends on your ASVAB scores, medical qualification, security clearance eligibility, and ship date. Confirm everything with an official recruiter. See our Disclaimer and Terms.

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