Navy careers
Navy
ICEngineering

Interior Communications Electrician

Install and maintain ship's internal communication systems, sound-powered telephone systems, and electronic intercommunication equipment.

ASVAB / entry requirement

ASVAB GS+AR+MK+EI: 213 OR AR+MK+VE+AO: 218 OR GS+AR+MK: 163

Enlisted
Catalog rank range: E-1 to E-8Maximum rank: E-8Initial term: 4 years

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

Inside the IC Interior Communications Electrician job

What the job looks like

Interior Communications Electricians maintain the internal communications, alarm, and entertainment systems throughout a ship. Work covers sound-powered phones, announcing systems, gyrocompasses, alarms, and closed-circuit television. Troubleshooting runs through miles of cable across every compartment. You maintain the gyrocompass and related navigation equipment, which is precision work. Watchstanding and damage control duties accompany the technical workload.

Skills you learn

You learn electronics and electrical theory, circuit analysis, and systematic fault isolation. Gyrocompass maintenance and alignment is precision work few civilians ever learn. The rating teaches cable fabrication, connector repair, and system troubleshooting across long runs. You gain familiarity with alarm, announcing, and video systems. Damage control training adds firefighting and emergency response.

What it builds in you

The job builds patience, since tracing a fault through a ship's cabling takes persistence. You develop precision in delicate alignment and calibration work. It teaches independence, because you are often working alone in remote compartments. Interior Communications Electricians tend to become self-sufficient, methodical technicians. You also gain broad familiarity with how a complex facility actually works.

How it pays off after service

Building systems technicians, including fire alarm, security, and audiovisual specialists, are in steady demand. Low-voltage and systems integration contracting is well paid and often licensed. Industrial instrumentation and controls roles suit the precision and troubleshooting background. Shipyards and marine electronics firms recruit this rating directly. Many veterans add certifications and move into building automation 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.

“A friend of mine had just passed away, and I realized I was headed down the wrong path. I knew I didn’t want to stay in New York, so I applied to a few colleges out of state. When I wasn’t accepted, I decided to talk to one of the recruiters who used to visit my school. He was a really good guy and would tell me lots of sea stories that kind of hooked me on the idea of becoming a Sailor. It was a chance to get away from where I was and try something new.”

“Your intentions matter, and just because you fail doesn’t mean you should stop trying. As long as you’re genuine, approach every situation with good intentions, and try to correct your mistakes in the moment, things will usually work out. What I’ve learned is that as long as you work hard and strive to help others, people will be more willing to support you as you pursue your goals.”

— Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Jomo TerryRecruit Training Command; formerly USS Harry S. Truman

“This is the time for us to learn hands-on how to fix our equipment.”

— Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Bethany CalhounUSS George Washington (CVN 73)

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 Interior Communications Electrician

You open the day tracing wiring on the ship's internal communication systems and checking the gyrocompass and alarm circuits. Your work involves maintaining sound-powered phones, announcing systems, entertainment and alarm networks, and the ship's gyro, troubleshooting with meters and schematics. Repairs throughout the ship and standing watch on IC systems keep you moving from compartment to compartment.

Watch: 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 IC Interior Communications Electrician, 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 Engineering

Civil Engineer$99,590 / year medianConstruction Manager$106,980 / year medianIndustrial Engineering Technician$65,020 / 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

Engineering
Communications
Electrical
Electronics
Non-combat

IC questions, answered

What does Navy IC Interior Communications Electrician do?

Install and maintain ship's internal communication systems, sound-powered telephone systems, and electronic intercommunication equipment.

What can day-to-day work in Interior Communications Electrician look like?

Interior Communications Electricians maintain the internal communications, alarm, and entertainment systems throughout a ship. Work covers sound-powered phones, announcing systems, gyrocompasses, alarms, and closed-circuit television. Troubleshooting runs through miles of cable across every compartment. You maintain the gyrocompass and related navigation equipment, which is precision work. Watchstanding and damage control duties accompany the technical workload.

What skills does Navy IC Interior Communications Electrician develop?

You learn electronics and electrical theory, circuit analysis, and systematic fault isolation. Gyrocompass maintenance and alignment is precision work few civilians ever learn. The rating teaches cable fabrication, connector repair, and system troubleshooting across long runs. You gain familiarity with alarm, announcing, and video systems. Damage control training adds firefighting and emergency response.

How can Interior Communications Electrician experience translate after service?

Building systems technicians, including fire alarm, security, and audiovisual specialists, are in steady demand. Low-voltage and systems integration contracting is well paid and often licensed. Industrial instrumentation and controls roles suit the precision and troubleshooting background. Shipyards and marine electronics firms recruit this rating directly. Many veterans add certifications and move into building automation or systems integration work.

What entry requirement is listed for Navy IC Interior Communications Electrician?

ASVAB GS+AR+MK+EI: 213 OR AR+MK+VE+AO: 218 OR GS+AR+MK: 163. 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 IC Interior Communications Electrician 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.

Related military jobs

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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.

Bonus-listed — Navy, as of 2026-09-27. Max bonus $5,000Published amount: $5,000
Signal detailsNamed on a published Navy enlistment-bonus or critical-skills list. Source: Navy.com enlistment bonus list. This is not a statement that a contract is open for you.

Max bonus $5,000 is a display ceiling, including unconfirmed figures and illustrative estimates, not a confirmed offer. Separate programs are not added together.

Latest source review — 2026-10-25

The October 2 CNRC message, effective for initial classification/reclassification after October 3, supersedes the August message and confirms the Navy.com source rates. Funding is stated through December 11, 2026; individual contracts remain unverified. Most source rates cover October–December FY27, while named special-operations and nuclear programs cover October–September FY27. Its shipping table lists MU $10,000 and Nuclear Field $20,000, differing from the website's older up-to-$25,000 shipping headline. The table's FY27 window is October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027; the surrounding prose has inconsistent year wording. Elevated-PST bonus remains $20,000. The $140,000 headline includes loan repayment, not cash signing bonus alone. AECF/AV-to-rating mapping conflicts remain unresolved.

Historical amounts are retained. A displayed maximum is not a guaranteed payment. Confirm current written contract terms.

Review source 1Review source 2

Bonus range review — 2026-10-10

Conditional planning range: $0–$5,000. $0 means no eligible or available bonus; the upper endpoint is from the listed program amount, not a likely payout or guaranteed offer. Historical/expired amounts do not verify a current offer. Do not add separate programs without written stacking authorization. Existing source dates and eligibility conditions remain controlling. Additional program amounts, when available, are explained in their own comments.

Published enlistment program: $5,000.

A listed program does not guarantee a bonus, job assignment or an available slot. Confirm your exact contract, component, ship date and eligibility with a recruiter.

Navy.com enlistment bonus list

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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