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AVIATION ELECTRICIAN'S MATE (AE)

The naval aviation electrical-systems rating — every Navy aircraft electrical, lighting, and instrument system is maintained by an AE.

Rating Badge

Rating Code

Community

Naval Aviation

Paygrade Range

E-1 to E-9

ASVAB Minimum

VE+AR+MK+EI=210

A-School

Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL · ~16 weeks

Clearance

Standard

Obligation

5 years

OVERVIEW

Aviation Electrician's Mate (AE) is the U.S. Navy's aviation electrical-systems rating. AEs maintain the electrical-power generation, distribution, lighting, and instrument systems on every Navy aircraft — F/A-18, F-35C, EA-18G, E-2D, P-8A, MH-60R/S, MQ-25, and unmanned systems. AEs are organic to every operational squadron and to every aircraft intermediate maintenance department.

The aviation maintenance ratings (AE, AT, AM, AO, AD) form the core of the Navy's aircraft maintenance enterprise. AEs work alongside ATs (electronics) and AMs (structural) on the flight line and in the avionics shop.

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 ~16 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+EI=210 and an enlistment obligation of 5–6 years. AEs 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 AEs 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, AE 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 AEs DO

AEs perform organizational and intermediate-level maintenance on aircraft electrical-power generation (generators, transformer-rectifiers, batteries), distribution (busses, circuit breakers, control panels), lighting (cockpit, exterior, formation, landing), instrument systems (engine instruments, flight instruments, navigation instruments), and electrically actuated subsystems (landing gear extension, weapons release, environmental control). They troubleshoot down to the lowest-replaceable-unit level, perform aircraft battle-damage repair, and serve as collateral-duty plane captains and flight-deck troubleshooters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

AEs perform organizational and intermediate-level maintenance on aircraft electrical-power generation (generators, transformer-rectifiers, batteries), distribution (busses, circuit breakers, control panels), lighting (cockpit, exterior, formation, landing), instrument systems (engine instruments, flight instruments, navigation instruments), and electrically actuated subsystems (landing gear extension, weapons release, environmental control). They troubleshoot down to the lowest-replaceable-unit level, perform aircraft battle-damage repair, and serve as collateral-duty plane captains and flight-deck troubleshooters.
Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior AEs as required by the chain of command.
Lead the AE 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 Electrician's Mate was established in 1921 as Naval Aviation grew rapidly through the interwar years and electrical systems on aircraft proliferated. The rating consolidated several smaller aviation electrical specialties during the post-World War II rating reforms.

The AE community is concentrated at the Navy's master jet bases — NAS Lemoore, NAS Oceana, NAS Whidbey Island — and at the carrier strike groups deployed worldwide.

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 Electrician's Mate (AE) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern AEs 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 AEs 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 Electrician's Mate A-School~16 weeks
Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL
Initial rating-skills training for AE accessions.
3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II
On-the-job training and qualifications in the AE rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

E-1/E-3
Apprentice AE
A-school at NAS Pensacola; first tour with a fleet squadron or AIMD.
E-4/E-6
Petty Officer AE
Qualify as collateral plane captain and aircraft electrical-systems work-center supervisor.
E-7+
Chief Aviation Electrician's Mate
Maintenance Master Chief, Quality Assurance Officer, or instructor at NAMTRAGRU.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II
EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye
P-8A Poseidon, MH-60R/S Seahawk
MQ-25 Stingray and unmanned systems

EXAMPLE NECs

AE-7211 F/A-18 Electrical Maintainer
AE-7811 P-8A 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 "AE" is appended to the paygrade in writing — e.g., AE1 Smith for AE Petty Officer First Class.

Prerequisites

U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB VE+AR+MK+EI=210
High school diploma or equivalent
Pass the Navy physical and medical screening

Common assignments

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II
EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye
P-8A Poseidon, MH-60R/S Seahawk
MQ-25 Stingray and unmanned systems

RELATED RATINGS

RELATED BASES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Aviation Electrician's Mate (AE) maintains aircraft electrical-power generation, distribution, lighting, and instrument systems. Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) maintains aircraft radios, radars, navigation, and electronic warfare systems.

AE A-school is at the Naval Air Technical Training Center on NAS Pensacola, FL — the same training command that runs most aviation rating A-schools.

Yes — AEs deploy with their squadrons aboard aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and they staff the carrier's Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) afloat.

SOURCES

Last updated 2026-05-02

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