// Active Rating · AM · Naval Aviation

AVIATION STRUCTURAL MECHANIC (AM)

The aircraft airframe, hydraulic, and safety-equipment rating — every Navy aircraft fuselage and ejection seat is owned by an AM.

Rating Badge

Rating Code

Community

Naval Aviation

Paygrade Range

E-1 to E-9

ASVAB Minimum

VE+AR+MK+AS=210

A-School

Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL · ~10 weeks

Clearance

Standard

Obligation

5 years

OVERVIEW

Aviation Structural Mechanic (AM) is the U.S. Navy's aircraft-structures, hydraulics, and aircrew-safety rating. AMs maintain the airframe, control surfaces, landing gear, hydraulic systems, ejection seats, and emergency-egress systems on every Navy aircraft. The rating splits into AM (general structures and hydraulics) and AME (Safety Equipment), which specializes in oxygen, ejection seats, survival gear, and life-support systems.

AMs work alongside AEs (electrical), ATs (electronics), AMs (structural), and ADs (powerplants) in every operational squadron and AIMD.

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 ~10 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=210 and an enlistment obligation of 5–6 years. AMs 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 AMs 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, AM 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 AMs DO

AMs perform organizational and intermediate-level maintenance on aircraft airframes (fuselage, wings, control surfaces, fairings), flight-control systems (mechanical linkages, actuators), landing gear, brakes and tires, hydraulic systems, and pneumatic systems. AMEs additionally maintain ejection seats, oxygen and breathing systems, parachutes, life rafts, helmets, and survival vests. AMs perform structural battle-damage repair, hydraulic-system troubleshooting, and corrosion control.

RESPONSIBILITIES

AMs perform organizational and intermediate-level maintenance on aircraft airframes (fuselage, wings, control surfaces, fairings), flight-control systems (mechanical linkages, actuators), landing gear, brakes and tires, hydraulic systems, and pneumatic systems. AMEs additionally maintain ejection seats, oxygen and breathing systems, parachutes, life rafts, helmets, and survival vests. AMs perform structural battle-damage repair, hydraulic-system troubleshooting, and corrosion control.
Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior AMs as required by the chain of command.
Lead the AM 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 Structural Mechanic was established in 1921 alongside the other aviation ratings. The Safety Equipment sub-track (AME) was carved out in the 1960s as ejection seats and life-support systems grew complex enough to warrant a dedicated specialty.

Today AM is one of the larger aviation maintenance ratings, distributed across every operational squadron in the Navy.

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 Structural Mechanic (AM) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern AMs 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 AMs 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 Structural Mechanic A-School~10 weeks
Naval Air Technical Training Center, NAS Pensacola, FL
Initial rating-skills training for AM 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 AM rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

E-1/E-3
Apprentice AM
A-school at NAS Pensacola; first tour with a fleet squadron or AIMD airframes shop.
E-4/E-6
Petty Officer AM
Qualify as airframes work-center supervisor; AME track qualifies on egress systems.
E-7+
Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic
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
MV-22 Osprey, CMV-22B carrier onboard delivery

EXAMPLE NECs

AM-7222 F/A-18 Airframes Maintainer
AME-7286 Egress Systems 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 "AM" is appended to the paygrade in writing — e.g., AM1 Smith for AM Petty Officer First Class.

Prerequisites

U.S. citizenship and minimum ASVAB VE+AR+MK+AS=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
MV-22 Osprey, CMV-22B carrier onboard delivery

RELATED RATINGS

RELATED BASES

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AM (general) maintains airframes, flight controls, landing gear, and hydraulics. AME (Safety Equipment) is a sub-track that specializes in ejection seats, oxygen systems, parachutes, and survival gear.

AM A-school is at the Naval Air Technical Training Center on NAS Pensacola, FL.

AMEs (the Safety Equipment sub-track of AM) are the certified ejection-seat technicians. General AMs may assist under supervision but do not perform live-cartridge work without AME qualification.

SOURCES

Last updated 2026-05-02

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