AVIATION BOATSWAIN'S MATE (STRIKER) (AB)

OVERVIEW

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (AB) is the U.S. Navy's parent rating identifier for striker-tier Sailors entering the aviation-deck community before being designated into one of the three modern AB sub-ratings: ABE (launching/recovery equipment), ABF (fuels), or ABH (handling). The AB designator is used in PRIDE personnel records for AB-strikers during the brief window between accession and sub-rating designation.

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 Sub-rating school 7–14 weeks after striker designation at AB-striker pipeline routes accessions to ABE-/ABF-/ABH-school based on fleet need, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR+MK+AS=184 and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. ABs 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 ABs 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, AB 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 ABs DO

AB-strikers perform on-the-job training under ABE, ABF, and ABH chiefs in flight-deck operations, learn the fundamentals of carrier-deck launching, recovery, fueling, and aircraft handling, and are designated into ABE/ABF/ABH at the conclusion of striker training based on fleet need.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• AB-strikers perform on-the-job training under ABE, ABF, and ABH chiefs in flight-deck operations, learn the fundamentals of carrier-deck launching, recovery, fueling, and aircraft handling, and are designated into ABE/ABF/ABH at the conclusion of striker training based on fleet need.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior ABs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the AB 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

The unified Aviation Boatswain's Mate (AB) rating was established in 1944 to professionalize carrier flight-deck operations. In 1965 the rating was split into the modern ABE, ABF, and ABH sub-ratings; the AB parent identifier remains in use for striker-tier accession tracking.

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 (Striker) (AB) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern ABs 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 ABs remain central to the warfighting mission.

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeks
   Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
   Initial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors.
2. 2. Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Striker) PipelineSub-rating school 7–14 weeks after striker designation
   AB-striker pipeline routes accessions to ABE-/ABF-/ABH-school based on fleet need
   Apprentice/striker training in the aviation accession pipeline before sub-rating designation.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

1. E-1/E-3
   Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Striker)
   Entry tier; aviation boatswain's mate (striker) accession track in the aviation community.
2. E-4
   Designated Petty Officer (sub-rating)
   Designation into a target rating with full A-/C-school qualification.
3. E-7+
   Chief Petty Officer (sub-rating)
   Senior enlisted leader of the designated rating in the command.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Aircraft carriers (CVN)
• Big-deck amphibious ships (LHA, LHD)

EXAMPLE NECs

• No NECs assigned at striker tier; NECs accrue after sub-rating designation

RELATED RATINGS

• ABE · Naval Aviation
  Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment)
• ABF · Naval Aviation
  Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels)
• ABH · Naval Aviation
  Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handling)

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · FL
  Naval Air Station Pensacola

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Striker) (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail