Navy Electronics & Fire Control Tech: Hands-On Radar & Networks

Advanced Electronics / Computer Field (ET/FC)

Category / Component:
Enlisted
• Active

The Advanced Electronics and Computer Field trains Sailors to maintain, operate and repair some of the Navy’s most sophisticated electronics and computing systems, including radar, communications, navigation, local area networks, weapons fire control and Aegis combat systems. ETs and FCs form the backbone of a ship’s Combat Systems department aboard carriers, cruisers, destroyers and other surface combatants, as well as at repair and technical activities ashore.

Serve as an Electronics Technician (ET) or Fire Control man (FC) after training, based on performance and Navy needs. As an ET, maintain and repair radar, communication, and navigation equipment such as transmitters, receivers, displays and shipboard communications suites including SATCOM and HF. As an FC, operate, maintain and repair fire control radars, computers, large‑screen displays, local area networks, weapon control consoles and automatic gun systems.

Troubleshoot complex electronic and electromechanical faults using technical documentation, test equipment and established procedures. Maintain configuration control, documentation, and logs that support inspections, certifications and combat system readiness.

Hands‑on technical work that blends classroom, computer‑based training and intensive lab practice. Frequent troubleshooting under time pressure to restore mission‑critical combat systems and communications. Strict adherence to safety procedures, configuration control, technical documentation and test routines. Team‑based maintenance and watch standing afloat and ashore, often on rotating shifts to support around‑the‑clock operations. Progressive responsibility as you qualify on systems, earn Navy Enlisted Classifications and advance in rate.

Assignments aboard surface combatants such as aircraft carriers, Aegis cruisers, destroyers and amphibious ships, as well as at shore‑based repair and technical facilities. Daily work in combat systems spaces, radar rooms, communications centers, electronics shops and shipboard network spaces. A mix of lab‑style environments and shipboard spaces with noise, ladders, confined areas and occasional exposure to heat or weather when working on topside equipment.

Recruit Training followed by Apprentice Technical Training at Great Lakes, Illinois, covering basic electronics, circuitry, safety, digital theory, microcomputers, fiber optics, test equipment and troubleshooting. Strand training in either the Fire Control man or Electronics Technician track; FCs focus on radar, ballistics and fire control basics, and ETs focus on communications suites and radar systems. Follow‑on A School and platform or system‑specific C Schools, often with college credit recommended by the American Council on Education.

Accelerated advancement to E4 upon completion of initial school training and all advancement requirements, with continued promotion based on performance, time in rate and professional development.

Enlist under the Advanced Electronics and Computer Field program, with final placement into the Electronics Technician or Fire Control man rating during initial training at Great Lakes, based on performance and Navy needs; maintain AECF eligibility throughout training to retain any accelerated advancement benefits; fleet conversion into ET or FC from another rating may be possible for qualified Sailors, subject to screening and community manning.

• Eligibility to serve in the United States Navy, including U.S. citizenship or other legal residency and work status, depending on the program and current law and policy.
• A high school diploma or equivalent for enlisted positions, and a bachelor's or qualifying professional degree for officer positions.
• Meeting age limits that vary by program and are set in law and Navy policy.
• Meeting medical, vision and dental standards, including body composition and physical fitness requirements.
• Meeting character and conduct standards, including background screening.
• Achieving required test scores for…