Profession details
What you could do
Joining as a Warfare (Aviation) Officer in the Royal Navy can take your career to new heights. Working with the most advanced aircraft in the world, you'll lead the teams who keep us flight ready and protect our mission safety. This is a highly cross-functional profession that will see you working with several teams at once. Warfare (Aviation) Officers can specialise in air traffic control, aircrew operations, and piloting. From communication systems to emergency preparedness, you'll ensure our missions fly high.
Your role
Qualifications you'll gain
From picking your profession to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as an officer.
Step 1
Submit an application
Once you've registered your interest in a Profession, and have satisfied some basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form.
Step 2
Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)
Depending on Profession applied for and professionally qualified status, you'll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
To prepare, you can practise the DAA.
Step 3
Interview
A Career Interview to talk through suitability of your chosen Profession and discussion of your preferred roles that are available within that Profession, including Submarine service. It will also cover the initial stages of the Security application. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform.
Step 4
Medical and Fitness Assessments
This is conducted at one of our Candidate Preparation Centres and will include a Fitness and Medical Assessment.
Step 5
Admiralty Interview Board (AIB)
The AIB is conducted online and made up of two assessments, . A Pre-Recorded Interview (PRI) online assessment that assesses your awareness and motivation to join the Royal Navy as an officer. The Group Planning Exercise (GPE) is the second stage online competency-based assessment which will take place approximately 3 weeks after the PRI. It will be conducted in a virtual group environment, and you will be assessed on your contribution to the team based on your individual performance.
Step 6
Start training
Once you've passed all eligibility criteria, including a Security Check, you'll be offered a place at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) to commence your initial training.
Career progression
From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.
Day one
Before you begin your initial training, you'll need to take Flying Aptitude Tests (FATs) at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. These assess your ability to cope with the rigours of flying training.
Year one
You'll then progress to Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, where you'll spend 30 weeks, focusing on: military skills, maritime skills and initial fleet time.
Year two
After you've passed out of BRNC, you will spend a further 15 weeks learning about how our equipment works. At the end of this stage, you'll go through grading. This is a set of tests that determines your suitability for your specialisation.
Year two
Once you've completed grading, you'll begin your professional training at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. Throughout this 24-week course, you'll use state-of-the-art simulators under the guidance of our experienced instructors.
Year three
You'll go to either RNAS Yeovilton, RNAS Culdrose, or RAF Marham, where you'll spend 34 weeks gaining hands-on experience working with real aircraft. At the end of this, you'll gain your Certificate of Competency and be a fully qualified Air Traffic Control Officer.
What you could do
Joining as a Warfare (Aviation) Officer in the Royal Navy can take your career to new heights. Working with the most advanced aircraft in the world, you'll lead the teams who keep us flight ready and protect our mission safety. This is a highly cross-functional profession that will see you working with several teams at once. Warfare (Aviation) Officers can specialise in air traffic control, aircrew operations, and piloting. From communication systems to emergency preparedness, you'll ensure our missions fly high.
Your role
- Monitor the safety of carriers, helicopters and jets under your watch.
- Use your knowledge of our world-class kit, and understanding of your environment, to give clear instructions.
- Operate sophisticated radar and communication systems, and collaborate with everyone in your team.
- Use your world-class communication skills to ensure the safety of your crew.
- A starting salary in excess of £33,000
- Rising beyond £41,000 after two years
- Accelerated training and responsibility from day one
- Six weeks of paid holiday every year
- Free medical and dental care
- Subsidised travel and accommodation
- Adventurous training
- Excellent pension scheme
Qualifications you'll gain
- Study for GCSEs, A-Levels, NVQs or even a degree, with funding from us
- Gain specialist vocational qualifications
- Gain a Foundation Degree in Aviation Systems Manager or Airspace Management on completion of professional training and a BSc(Hons) on the Front Line
- How to use state-of-the-art equipment to monitor your airspace and keep it safe
- The art of effective communication and decision-making in high-pressure situations
- You must be aged 18 to 34
- You'll need a minimum of 72 UCAS points. These can be accrued from either GCE A/AS Levels (or equivalent) or National Diplomas (e.g., BTEC)
- You'll need at least 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C (9-4) (or Scottish equivalent), which must include English language and Mathematics
- You must be a United Kingdom national, or Commonwealth citizen, or Dual National. Dual Nationality restrictions do apply.
- Minimum height of 151.5cm
- A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 28 (between 17 and 27 if under 18)
- Must pass CBAT. Specialist Aviation Medical at OASC, RAF Cranwell post AIB.
- Able to thrive on responsibility
- A confident leader
- A passion for working as part of a team
- Calm under pressure
- Able to concentrate for long periods of time
From picking your profession to starting on your first day, these are the steps you'll take to join as an officer.
Step 1
Submit an application
Once you've registered your interest in a Profession, and have satisfied some basic eligibility criteria, you will be sent an online application form.
Step 2
Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA)
Depending on Profession applied for and professionally qualified status, you'll be tested on: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Work Rate, Spatial Reasoning, Electrical Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension.
To prepare, you can practise the DAA.
Step 3
Interview
A Career Interview to talk through suitability of your chosen Profession and discussion of your preferred roles that are available within that Profession, including Submarine service. It will also cover the initial stages of the Security application. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform.
Step 4
Medical and Fitness Assessments
This is conducted at one of our Candidate Preparation Centres and will include a Fitness and Medical Assessment.
Step 5
Admiralty Interview Board (AIB)
The AIB is conducted online and made up of two assessments, . A Pre-Recorded Interview (PRI) online assessment that assesses your awareness and motivation to join the Royal Navy as an officer. The Group Planning Exercise (GPE) is the second stage online competency-based assessment which will take place approximately 3 weeks after the PRI. It will be conducted in a virtual group environment, and you will be assessed on your contribution to the team based on your individual performance.
Step 6
Start training
Once you've passed all eligibility criteria, including a Security Check, you'll be offered a place at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) to commence your initial training.
Career progression
From responsibilities to pay, find out where this role can take you.
Day one
Before you begin your initial training, you'll need to take Flying Aptitude Tests (FATs) at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. These assess your ability to cope with the rigours of flying training.
Year one
You'll then progress to Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, where you'll spend 30 weeks, focusing on: military skills, maritime skills and initial fleet time.
Year two
After you've passed out of BRNC, you will spend a further 15 weeks learning about how our equipment works. At the end of this stage, you'll go through grading. This is a set of tests that determines your suitability for your specialisation.
Year two
Once you've completed grading, you'll begin your professional training at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. Throughout this 24-week course, you'll use state-of-the-art simulators under the guidance of our experienced instructors.
Year three
You'll go to either RNAS Yeovilton, RNAS Culdrose, or RAF Marham, where you'll spend 34 weeks gaining hands-on experience working with real aircraft. At the end of this, you'll gain your Certificate of Competency and be a fully qualified Air Traffic Control Officer.