Naval aircrewman

Aviation Warfare Operator is an enlisted rating of the U.S. Navy. It was previously designated as aviation anti-submarine warfare operator. However, under the CNO-directed "Helicopter Master Plan", all 78XX and 94XX aircrewmen were re-designated as "aviation warfare systems operators". The description of the Aviation Warfare Operator Rate (AW) on this page define only the "Active Duty" aspects of the AW rate, fleets (aircraft), positions, and duties that are manned by aircrew in today's Navy. The Full Time Support (FTS) and Selected Reserves (SELRES) components of the U.S. Naval Reserves make up the largest number of Aircrew in today's Navy. Many technologically advanced navies have a similar trade.

Training

All AWs must attain a minimum amount of education and training in several fields of science, technology, and aviation at several different schools. The educational "pipeline" averages 18 months to 2 years in length. The following list describes most of those schools:

Schools

Naval Aircrew Candidate School (NACCS)

Naval Aircrew Candidate School (NACCS), at NAS Pensacola, Florida, trains and evaluates AW students in basic flight physiology and water survival. The course includes low-pressure hypobaric chamber training, night-vision evaluations, multi-station spatial-disorientation device (also known as the "spin and puke") training, and aircraft-emergency-water-egress device. The curriculum also includes advanced first aid and CPR and physical training with road runs up to 2–4 miles and one-mile swims.

AW “A” School

Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) provides accession students a basic introduction to the fundamentals the student must be well versed in to operate on their prospective platform. Active and passive electronic warfare, active and passive sonar. Reading sonograms, magnetic anomaly detection equipment, physics, wave propagation, oceanography, meteorology and working with classified information are included in this phase of training.

Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE)

The Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) course is designed to provide Level "C" Code of Conduct training to pilots, flight officers, intelligence officers, aircrew, and other designated high-risk-of-capture personnel, as directed by respective TYCOMs/MCCDC in accordance with DOD Instruction 1300.21 and the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) executive agent instruction. Training encompasses those basic skills necessary for worldwide survival, facilitating search-and-rescue efforts, evading capture by hostile forces, resistance to interrogation, exploitation, and indoctrination, and escape from detention by enemy forces, in accordance with DOD Instruction 1300.21. It is based on and reinforces the values expressed in the code of conduct while maintaining an appropriate balance of sound educational methodology and realistic/stressful training scenarios.

Participation in SERE training requires certification of a current physical examination (within 1 year for aircrew) and completion of a medical-screening form within 14 days of training by competent medical authority (i.e., flight surgeon, IDC). If students report for training without medical and dental records, they are dis-enrolled from the course. Because SERE training is physically demanding, students must comply with their own service's body fat standards and have successfully passed their most recent physical-readiness test.

Fleet Replacement Aircrew Training (FRAC)

This phase of training immerses the student much further into training for their specific platform and specialty. Typically, the student will report to an East Coast or West Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) to conduct training. Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) and tactics are also introduced. After completion of training and reporting for duty in the fleet, they are required to complete “on the job training” lasting around six months before being recognized as fully qualified.

Position summaries

There are several platforms (fixed wing P-3 Orion, rappelling, and various other skills other AW's will not receive. They share many similarities to Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technicians. They are often utilized in humanitarian, combat, and peacetime missions. On average, with both the pipeline and required on-the-job training, it takes about two years to become a qualified AIRR. The training pipeline is as follows:

# Aircrew Candidate School (3 weeks)
# Rescue Swimmer School (5 weeks)
# "A" School (7 weeks for AWS, 14 weeks for AWR)
# SERE (2 weeks)
# Fleet Replacement Squadrons (6-12 months at assigned Air Station)

AIRR Tactical Helicopter

(abbreviated as AWR)

AWRs go through NACCS and Rescue Swimmer Schools as well, then split off into their own pipeline from there. Going to A-School (13 weeks), FRAC(about 1 year long), SERE (2 weeks). AWRs perform the same jobs as regular AIRR crewman (AWS) as well as locating submarines using acoustics sensors, which has earned them the nickname "Subhunters". They also perform various Surface Warfare missions using Radar and other sensors on board the aircraft.

C-2A Loadmaster

These AWFs fly on the C-2A Greyhound, a carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft. They fly high priority passengers, cargo, and mail to and from aircraft carriers. Their designations as loadmasters start from FRAC school at VAW-120 in Norfolk, Virginia where they become transport second crewman. From there these AWs complete on the job training, their NAWS package, and a second crewman board to become carrier transport second crewman. And then finally completing more job specific qualifications to become a carrier transport crew chief. These AWF's are also highly skilled and qualified in the maintenance program and work hand in hand with their maintenance work centers to better improve their knowledge of the aircraft.

Naval Aircrewman (operator)

; Aboard aircraft

:''Note: abbreviated as'' ''AWO, SS1, & SS2''
These AWs fly in a fixed wing, long range patrol aircraft. Currently the P-3 Orion

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