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AVIATION BOATSWAIN'S MATE (EQUIPMENT) (ABE)

The carrier catapult and arresting-gear rating — every CATOBAR launch and trap belongs to an ABE.

Rating Badge

Rating Code

ABE

Community

Naval Aviation

Paygrade Range

E-1 to E-9

ASVAB Minimum

VE+AR+MK+AS=185

A-School

Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL · ~12 weeks

Clearance

Standard

Obligation

4 years

OVERVIEW

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment), or ABE, is the U.S. Navy's carrier catapult and arresting-gear rating. ABEs operate and maintain the steam catapults (CVN-68 class), the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) on the Ford-class, the recovery wires and arresting engines, the visual landing aids, and the in-flight refueling drogues on the carrier flight deck.

ABE is one of three Aviation Boatswain's Mate sub-ratings: ABE (Equipment), ABF (Fuels), and ABH (Aircraft Handling). All three originated in the WWII-era Aviation Boatswain's Mate rating.

The aviation community covers Sailors who maintain, operate, and support U.S. Navy aircraft — fixed-wing fighters, maritime patrol, helicopters, and unmanned platforms — both on aircraft carriers and at shore-based naval air stations. The community follows the Aviation Maintenance Officer (AMO) construct and emphasizes Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) qualifications.

A-school for the rating runs ~12 weeks at Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR+MK+AS=185 and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. ABEs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior ABEs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.

Across the active force, ABE Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.

WHAT ABEs DO

ABEs operate and maintain steam catapults (Mk 13 Mod 0/1) on Nimitz-class carriers, the EMALS and AAG on Ford-class carriers, the cross-deck arresting pendants and Mk 7/AAG arresting engines, jet blast deflectors, the optical landing system (Improved Fresnel Lens / Visual Landing Aids), and the in-flight refueling drogue installations. ABEs serve as catapult operators, arresting-gear operators, topside safety petty officers, and as the carrier's Air Boss's eyes and hands on launch and recovery.

RESPONSIBILITIES

ABEs operate and maintain steam catapults (Mk 13 Mod 0/1) on Nimitz-class carriers, the EMALS and AAG on Ford-class carriers, the cross-deck arresting pendants and Mk 7/AAG arresting engines, jet blast deflectors, the optical landing system (Improved Fresnel Lens / Visual Landing Aids), and the in-flight refueling drogue installations. ABEs serve as catapult operators, arresting-gear operators, topside safety petty officers, and as the carrier's Air Boss's eyes and hands on launch and recovery.
Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior ABEs as required by the chain of command.
Lead the ABE work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.

HISTORY

Aviation Boatswain's Mate was established in 1944 as the U.S. Navy's carrier force expanded dramatically and the deck-handling, fueling, and launch/recovery missions on a flight deck became too complex for the legacy Boatswain's Mate rating to handle. The ABE, ABF, and ABH sub-ratings split out in the post-war reorganization to specialize in equipment, fuels, and handling respectively.

The Ford-class carriers brought EMALS and AAG into ABE's portfolio, replacing the steam catapults and Mk 7 arresting engines that ABEs had maintained for half a century.

The aviation rating structure traces to 1921 when the Bureau of Aeronautics was established and the Navy formalized aviation enlisted ratings to support the rapid growth of carrier aviation between the world wars. Successive consolidations through the 1948 enlisted-rating reorganization and the modern Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) shaped the current pipeline.

Today the Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) (ABE) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern ABEs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.

The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring ABEs remain central to the warfighting mission.

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeks
Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
Initial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
2. Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) A-School~12 weeks
Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL
Initial rating-skills training for ABE accessions.
3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
Aircraft carriers (CVN-68 Nimitz / CVN-78 Ford)
On-the-job training and qualifications in the ABE rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

E-1/E-3
Apprentice ABE
A-school at NAS Pensacola; first tour aboard a CVN catapult and arresting-gear crew.
E-4/E-6
Petty Officer ABE
Qualify as catapult operator, arresting-gear operator, and topside safety petty officer.
E-7+
Chief ABE
CAT/AG Division Chief, Air Department Master Chief, or instructor at NAES Lakehurst.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

Aircraft carriers (CVN-68 Nimitz / CVN-78 Ford)
Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (catapult/arresting-gear training)

EXAMPLE NECs

ABE-7032 EMALS/AAG Maintainer
ABE-7034 Mk 13 Steam Catapult Maintainer

How to address

As an enlisted Sailor by paygrade and last name (e.g. "Petty Officer Smith" for E-4–E-6, "Chief Smith" for E-7+). The rating abbreviation "ABE" is appended to the paygrade in writing — e.g., ABE1 Smith for ABE Petty Officer First Class.

Prerequisites

U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB VE+AR+MK+AS=185
High school diploma or equivalent
Pass the Navy physical and medical screening

Common assignments

Aircraft carriers (CVN-68 Nimitz / CVN-78 Ford)
Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (catapult/arresting-gear training)

RELATED RATINGS

RELATED BASES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABEs operate and maintain the steam catapults (or EMALS on Ford-class), the cross-deck arresting wires and arresting engines (or AAG on Ford-class), and the visual landing aids that get every Navy jet off and back onto the carrier.

All three are Aviation Boatswain's Mate sub-ratings. ABE (Equipment) handles catapults and arresting gear. ABF (Fuels) handles aviation fuel and JP-5 systems. ABH (Aircraft Handling) handles flight-deck and hangar-deck aircraft movement.

ABE A-school is at the Naval Air Technical Training Center on NAS Pensacola, FL, with follow-on equipment training at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, NJ.

SOURCES

Last updated 2026-05-02

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