SONAR TECHNICIAN (SUBMARINE) (STS)

OVERVIEW

Sonar Technician (Submarine) — STS — operates the AN/BQQ-10 sonar suite on every U.S. Navy fast-attack and ballistic-missile submarine. STSs are the eyes and ears of the submarine, responsible for the silent service's primary tactical sensor — passive and active sonar — and for the acoustic intelligence (ACINT) collection mission.

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 ~26 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. STSs 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 STSs 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, STS 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 STSs DO

STSs operate the AN/BQQ-10 sonar suite, classify acoustic contacts, manage the towed-array and hull-mounted sensors, conduct sonar-search and -tracking watches, and support the Officer of the Deck and Fire Control Tracking Party with target-motion-analysis.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• STSs operate the AN/BQQ-10 sonar suite, classify acoustic contacts, manage the towed-array and hull-mounted sensors, conduct sonar-search and -tracking watches, and support the Officer of the Deck and Fire Control Tracking Party with target-motion-analysis.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior STSs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the STS 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.

THIS RATING ABSORBED

The STS rating's mission today includes work that flowed from the following decommissioned U.S. Navy ratings:

• 
  OT · Decom 1998

  Ocean Systems Technician

HISTORY

Sonar Technician (Submarine) was established in 1964 by splitting Sonarman into surface (STG) and submarine (STS) sub-ratings. STS is concentrated in the silent service and qualifies in submarines as part of the dolphin-warfare pipeline.

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 Sonar Technician (Submarine) (STS) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern STSs 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 STSs 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. Sonar Technician (Submarine) A-School~26 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 fast-attack submarines
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the STS rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

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

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

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

EXAMPLE NECs

• STS-3353 AN/BQQ-10 Sonar Operator

RELATED RATINGS

• STG · General Surface & Combat
  Sonar Technician (Surface)
• ETR · Submarine Force
  Electronics Technician (Submarine Navigation)
• FT · Submarine Force
  Fire Control 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 Sonar Technician (Submarine) (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail