Aviation Electronics Technician (United States Navy Rating) - Different Types

Different Types

There are currently two types of AT's: Intermediate (I-level) and Organizational (O-level). These two levels do not affect their rate insignia or change how they are addressed (an AT3 is an AT3, regardless of I- or O-level). However, their duties are significantly different, and I-level and O-level ATs take different advancement exams, as if they were different rates.

I-level technicians work on the individual printed circuit boards within an actual component such as a radio. They are the technicians that connect the component to a test bench to simulate an aircraft, and troubleshoot and repair the equipment. In some instances the technician will not repair specific circuit card assemblies (CCAs); these CCAs will either go to Depot level or back to the original manufacturer for repair. I-level AT's are usually assigned to Fleet Readiness Centers on shore or Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments aboard ships. I-level AT's are expected to have some electronics engineering knowledge, and are not generally expected to know much about aircraft-specific systems.

O-level technicians troubleshoot various discrepancies with the use of multimeters and avionics test equipment to locate faults within the aircraft. An O-level AT will determine if the discrepancy that the aircrew reported is an aircraft-wiring problem or a system problem. If the problem is aircraft wiring, the AT will repair the wiring problem on the aircraft. If the problem is determined to be an assembled component of a system, the assembly will be removed and turned in to AIMD for repair. The assembly can be replaced with parts that the squadron may keep as spares in order to keep the aircraft operational. Keeping spare parts at the squadron-level is usually not Standard Operating Procedure, but these rules are frequently relaxed during intense operations due to the need for expedient turn-around. In addition to their separate duties as electronics technicians, O-level AT's are sometimes combined with AE's (Aviation Electrician's Mates) and AO's (Aviation Ordnancemen) into a work center called IWT (Integrated Weapons Team). As electronics have migrated into other aircraft systems (such as flight control and weapons control), the IWT team is given the duties of maintaining specifically the armament and weapons systems, whereas a separate AT workcenter is responsible for non-weapons based electronics such as communications and navigation. This is usually done at the organizational level, and is not Navy-wide. O-level AT's are assigned to squadrons and perform most of their work on the flight deck of carriers and in the aircraft hangars on land. These AT's are expected to have a detailed understanding of how the system interfaces with the aircraft.