Naval Aviation

The U.S. Navy operates more than 3,700 aircraft, making it the second largest air force in the world—second only to the U.S. Air Force. Below are the careers in aviation that work together to get our birds in the sky.

Complete complex air maneuvers while flying at Mach speeds. Catapult off carriers at 170 mph

and land on moving runways only 300 feet long. Gather intel, drop ordnance and conduct

defensive missions—all in the F/A-18 Hornet and the cutting-edge F-35C Lightning II.

In the C-2 Greyhound, you transport parts, personnel, and mail to the 5,000 people aboard. In

the cockpit of the E-2C Hawkeye, you’re on patrol as the command control center in the sky. If

you’re flying the P-3 Orion or the brand-new P-8 Poseidon, you hunt submarines using cuttingedge

software, radar, sonar, and acoustics.

As a helicopter pilot, the sky is your domain. Hover over the sea for search and rescue, extract

Sailors and Special Forces from a hot landing zone or track and neutralize enemy submarines in

defense of your ship.

In this role, you’re the navigator, the lookout and the weapon operator inside naval aviation.

Whether you’re hunting submarines from a P-8 Poseidon, navigating an E-2 Hawkeye through

enemy territory or dropping bombs from the backseat of an F-18 fighter jet .

From the day you start, you’ll receive:

• Competitive salary

• Free health insurance

• Free housing

• A retirement plan

• 30 days paid vacation per year

Beyond professional credentials and certifications, the Navy can help ease your financial burdens and advance your career with generous financial assistance and continuing education programs, including:

• Post-9/11 GI Bill

• Navy Tuition Assistance Program

• Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)

• Navy College Program

• VOLED Assistance Center

• VOLED Region Advisors

• Navy War College (NWC)

• USAF Air University Air Command and Staff College

• Bachelor’s degree

• Students may apply in last 12 months of pursuing degree

• U.S. citizen or equivalent

• 19 years of age or older

In the field of aviation, you’ll make the world your home. You may be assigned to sea or shore

squadrons on almost any continent. You will have the opportunity to work in a variety of

environments—airborne aircraft, hangars, flight decks, flight lines at air stations and on aircraft carriers.

Some of the above aviation jobs in the Navy Reserve are open only to prior or current military aviators.

Take a moment to learn more about the general roles and responsibilities of Navy Reserve Sailors.