// Officer Designator · O-1 to O-10 · NATO OF-1 to OF-9

AEROSPACE MAINTENANCE DUTY OFFICER (1510)

The Restricted Line community that keeps Navy aircraft mission-ready.

Insignia

Designator

1510

Abbreviation

AMDO

Community

Restricted Line

Paygrade Range

O-1 to O-10

NATO Range

OF-1 to OF-9

OVERVIEW

The 1510 Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer (AMDO) designator identifies Restricted Line officers in the U.S. Navy who specialize in the maintenance, material readiness, supply support, and logistics of operational Navy aviation squadrons and Marine air units. AMDOs serve as Maintenance Officers, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) officers, and Fleet Readiness Center department heads — keeping the Navy's 4,000+ aircraft mission-capable.

Unlike AEDOs, AMDOs are direct-accession officers who commission directly into the 1510 community without first serving as pilots or NFOs. Their career path is focused on operational aviation maintenance leadership rather than engineering or acquisition, and they are the Navy's recognized experts on the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (COMNAVAIRFORINST 4790) — the rule set that governs how every fleet aircraft is inspected, repaired, and certified for flight.

AMDOs serve in every aviation type-wing, aboard every aircraft carrier and big-deck amphib, with Marine Aircraft Wings, and at all five Fleet Readiness Centers. Senior AMDOs lead Navy aviation logistics and supply-chain programs, integrate with NAVAIR engineering counterparts, and shape readiness recovery plans for the carrier-aviation enterprise.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as Maintenance Officer of a fleet aviation squadron
Lead an AIMD aboard an aircraft carrier or amphibious assault ship
Manage Fleet Readiness Center department-level operations
Direct supply, logistics, and engine-management programs across an air wing

HISTORY

The Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer designator was created in 1973 to provide dedicated career-long maintenance and material-readiness expertise to Navy aviation squadrons. Before AMDOs, aviation-maintenance leadership was performed by aviators on collateral duty or by Limited Duty Officers; the new community gave the Navy a pool of permanent, technically-deep maintenance professionals who could lead an aviation maintenance department for an entire career.

AMDOs are particularly visible at the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMDs) embarked in every U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, where they manage thousands of intermediate-level repair actions per deployment. The community has been central to every major Navy aviation readiness initiative of the past five decades — from the original AIRSpeed lean-management program to today's Naval Sustainment System–Aviation (NSS-A) effort to drive F/A-18, P-8A, and E-2D mission-capable rates back above target.

COMMISSIONING SOURCES

USNA
NROTC (limited)
OCS
Lateral transfer from URL aviation

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. AMDO Basic Course~12 weeks
NAS Pensacola, FL
Aviation maintenance theory, supply, logistics, and Navy 4790 maintenance program.
2. Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course~6 weeks
NAS Pensacola, FL
Advanced course required prior to first Maintenance Officer tour.
3. AIMD Officer Course~4 weeks
NAS Norfolk, VA / NAS North Island, CA
Intermediate-level maintenance leadership preparation.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

O-1/O-2
AMDO Basic Course + first squadron tour
Initial AMDO training followed by Assistant Maintenance Officer tour in a fleet squadron.
O-3
Squadron Maintenance Officer
Lead the maintenance department of a fleet aviation squadron.
O-4
Department Head ashore
Department-head tour at an FRC or AIMD.
O-5
Major Aviation Maintenance Command
Command of an AIMD afloat or major FRC department.
O-6
FRC Commanding Officer
Command of a Fleet Readiness Center.

RELATED DESIGNATORS

RELATED BASES

How to address

Same as the underlying officer rank — e.g., "Lieutenant Smith." Community addressed as "AMDO" in writing.

Prerequisites

Direct commission via OCS or USNA into the 1510 community
Successful completion of AMDO Basic Course
Demonstrated leadership of an aviation-maintenance organization
Maintain Secret clearance (Top Secret for some assignments)

Common assignments

Maintenance Officer of a fleet F/A-18, MH-60, or P-8A squadron
AIMD Officer aboard an aircraft carrier (CVN) or amphibious assault ship (LHD/LHA)
Department Head at a Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) — East, West, Southwest, Southeast, or Mid-Atlantic
Air-wing or Type Commander maintenance staff officer

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AMDOs (1510) focus on operational aviation-maintenance leadership and material readiness in fleet squadrons and FRCs. AEDOs (1460) focus on engineering, acquisition, test, and program management of Navy aircraft systems.

No. AMDOs are direct-accession Restricted Line officers who commission directly into the 1510 community without prior aviation experience.

AMDOs serve as Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) officers aboard aircraft carriers (CVNs) and amphibious assault ships (LHA/LHD), managing intermediate-level maintenance for embarked air wings.

SOURCES

Last updated 2026-05-02

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