ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN (NUCLEAR) (ETN)

OVERVIEW

Electronics Technician (Nuclear) — ETN — is the U.S. Navy nuclear-trained reactor controls operator. ETNs operate the reactor protection system, reactor-control rod-drive electronics, neutron-monitoring instrumentation, and the engineering control panels of the naval reactor on every nuclear-powered submarine and aircraft carrier.

The nuclear community is the most technically demanding enlisted pipeline in the U.S. military. Sailors complete Nuclear Field A-school, Naval Nuclear Power School (NNPS) in Charleston, SC, and a prototype reactor tour before reporting to their first nuclear-powered submarine or aircraft carrier. Nuclear-trained Sailors operate every reactor plant in the U.S. fleet.

A-school for the rating runs ~24 months (pipeline incl. NPS + prototype) at Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Charleston SC; Nuclear Power Training Unit (Prototype) Charleston SC or Ballston Spa NY, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score AR+MK+EI+GS=252 (Nuke) and an enlistment obligation of 6–6 years. ETNs 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 ETNs 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, ETN 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 ETNs DO

ETNs operate the reactor protection and control instrumentation, the neutron-monitoring channels, the engineering control panels in maneuvering, and stand watch as Reactor Operator on every U.S. Navy nuclear-powered ship.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• ETNs operate the reactor protection and control instrumentation, the neutron-monitoring channels, the engineering control panels in maneuvering, and stand watch as Reactor Operator on every U.S. Navy nuclear-powered ship.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior ETNs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the ETN 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

ETN is the nuclear track of the ET rating, established alongside the Naval Nuclear Power Program in 1955. ETNs hold the senior reactor-controls watch — the Reactor Operator — at the maneuvering panel.

The nuclear-trained enlisted community was established under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover with the commissioning of USS Nautilus (SSN-571) in 1954, the world's first nuclear-powered vessel. The training pipeline and qualification standards Rickover established remain essentially unchanged and are widely recognized as the most rigorous enlisted technical training in the U.S. military.

Today the Electronics Technician (Nuclear) (ETN) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern ETNs 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 ETNs 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 at the Navy's only boot camp.
2. 2. Electronics Technician (Nuclear) A-School~24 months (pipeline incl. NPS + prototype)
   Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Charleston SC; Nuclear Power Training Unit (Prototype) Charleston SC or Ballston Spa NY
   Nuclear Power Pipeline (NPS Charleston + Nuclear Power Training Unit)
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the ETN rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

1. E-1/E-3
   Apprentice ETN
   A-school in the nuclear pipeline; first tour with a fleet unit.
2. E-4/E-6
   Petty Officer ETN
   Lead a Electronics Technician (Nuclear) work-center, qualify in core watchstations and platform-specific tasks.
3. E-7+
   Chief Electronics Technician (Nuclear)
   Senior enlisted leader of the rating in the command; instructor, detailer, or department leading chief assignments.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
• Ohio (SSBN/SSGN-726) class submarines
• Nimitz (CVN-68) and Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carriers

EXAMPLE NECs

• ETN-3357 S9G Reactor Operator

RELATED RATINGS

• MMN · Nuclear Power
  Machinist's Mate (Nuclear)
• EMN · Nuclear Power
  Electrician's Mate (Nuclear)
• ET · General Surface & Combat
  Electronics Technician

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · CT
  Naval Submarine Base New London
• Navy Base · WA
  Naval Base Kitsap
• Navy Base · VA
  Naval Station Norfolk

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Electronics Technician (Nuclear) (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail