FIRE CONTROL TECHNICIAN (FT)

OVERVIEW

Fire Control Technician (FT) operates and maintains the U.S. Navy submarine combat system — the AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System on the Virginia, Los Angeles, and Ohio classes — and the associated weapons-launch consoles for Mk-48 ADCAP heavyweight torpedoes, Tomahawk land-attack missiles, and (on SSGNs) the multiple-all-up-round canister.

The submarine community is an all-volunteer force that operates the Navy's nuclear-powered fast-attack, guided-missile, and ballistic-missile submarines. Sailors must qualify in submarines (earning the Silver or Gold Dolphins) and operate under unique deployment cycles, watchbills, and the demanding Submarine Force standards established by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover.

A-school for the rating runs ~30 weeks at Naval Submarine School, Groton, CT, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score AR+MK+EI+GS=222 and an enlistment obligation of 6–6 years. FTs 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 FTs 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, FT 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 FTs DO

FTs operate the submarine combat-control consoles, perform target-motion-analysis (TMA), generate fire-control solutions for torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles, conduct weapon launches, and stand watch as Fire Control Coordinator and Weapon Officer of the Watch.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• FTs operate the submarine combat-control consoles, perform target-motion-analysis (TMA), generate fire-control solutions for torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles, conduct weapon launches, and stand watch as Fire Control Coordinator and Weapon Officer of the Watch.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior FTs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the FT 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

FT was established in 1948 as a combined surface and submarine rating, then split: the surface portion became Fire Controlman (FC) while submarines retained the FT designator. FT is one of the highest-ASVAB enlisted ratings in the U.S. Navy.

The submarine rating lineage traces to the commissioning of USS Holland in 1900 and the establishment of the Submarine Force the same year. Modern submarine enlisted ratings were redefined under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover in the 1950s as the Navy transitioned from diesel-electric to nuclear propulsion with USS Nautilus (SSN-571).

Today the Fire Control Technician (FT) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern FTs 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 FTs 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. Fire Control Technician A-School~30 weeks
   Naval Submarine School, Groton, CT
   Submarine pipeline rating training (includes Basic Enlisted Submarine School)
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the FT rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

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

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
• Los Angeles (SSN-688) class submarines
• Ohio (SSBN/SSGN-726) class submarines

EXAMPLE NECs

• FT-3363 AN/BYG-1 Combat Control System Operator

RELATED RATINGS

• FC · General Surface & Combat
  Fire Controlman
• STS · Submarine Force
  Sonar Technician (Submarine)
• MT · Submarine Force
  Missile Technician

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · CT
  Naval Submarine Base New London
• Navy Base · GA
  Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
• Navy Base · WA
  Naval Base Kitsap

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

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