NAVAL AIRCREWMAN (AVIONICS) (AWV)

OVERVIEW

Naval Aircrewman (Avionics) — AWV — flies as enlisted aircrew on the EA-18G Growler, E-2D Hawkeye, P-8A Poseidon, and EP-3E Aries (legacy) electronic-warfare and command-and-control aircraft. AWVs operate the electronic-attack, electronic-support, and battle-management consoles.

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 ~28 weeks (pipeline) at Naval Aircrewman Candidate School & Fleet Replacement Squadron, NAS Pensacola FL / NAS Whidbey Island WA, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR+MK+EI=215 and an enlistment obligation of 6–6 years. AWVs 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 AWVs 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, AWV 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 AWVs DO

AWVs operate airborne electronic-attack, electronic-support, and command-and-control consoles; manage cryptologic collection and reporting; and serve as Naval Flight Officer console assistants on the E-2D, EA-18G, and P-8A.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• AWVs operate airborne electronic-attack, electronic-support, and command-and-control consoles; manage cryptologic collection and reporting; and serve as Naval Flight Officer console assistants on the E-2D, EA-18G, and P-8A.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior AWVs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the AWV 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

AWV was created in 2008 to consolidate the legacy avionics-aircrew specialties from the AW, AT, and CT communities under a single dedicated airborne-avionics aircrew rating.

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 Naval Aircrewman (Avionics) (AWV) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern AWVs 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 AWVs 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. Naval Aircrewman (Avionics) A-School~28 weeks (pipeline)
   Naval Aircrewman Candidate School & Fleet Replacement Squadron, NAS Pensacola FL / NAS Whidbey Island WA
   Initial rating-skills training for accessions
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   EA-18G Growler
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the AWV rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

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

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• EA-18G Growler
• E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
• P-8A Poseidon (CT-augment)

EXAMPLE NECs

• AWV-7861 EA-18G Naval Aircrewman

RELATED RATINGS

• CTR · Cryptologic & IW
  Cryptologic Technician (Collection)
• AWO · Naval Aviation
  Naval Aircrewman (Operator)
• AT · Naval Aviation
  Aviation Electronics Technician

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · WA
  Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
• Navy Base · FL
  Naval Air Station Jacksonville

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Naval Aircrewman (Avionics) (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail