Aviation Ordnanceman

Aviation Ordnanceman
Unit	United States Navy
Role	Ordnance handling on naval aircraft and carriers
Abbreviation	AO

Contents

Aviation Ordnanceman

Aviation Ordnanceman perform specialized ordnance handling, loading, maintenance, and inspection aboard Aircraft carrier, Naval air station, Amphibious assault ship, and Aviation squadron platforms; they integrate with Carrier Air Wing operations, coordinate with Naval Air Systems Command, and support Fleet Marine Force missions. Their work directly affects sortie rates, weapons readiness, and hazard control during Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and other deployments tied to United States Navy carrier strike group activities. Orders and standards originate from authorities such as Chief of Naval Operations, Bureau of Naval Personnel, and technical directives from Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Air Systems Command.

Overview

Aviation Ordnanceman serve within squadrons attached to USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and other carrier classes, working under squadron leadership and shipboard department heads while interacting with organizations like Naval Aviation Schools Command and Fleet Readiness Center facilities. They apply Technical Manuals and Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures (NATOPS) influenced by Department of Defense policies, liaising with logistics entities such as Navy Supply Systems Command and Defense Logistics Agency during peacetime and during operations such as Operation Enduring Freedom. Career fields overlap with ratings including Aviation Boatswain's Mate, Aviation Structural Mechanic, and Aviation Maintenance Administrationman aboard air-capable platforms like USS America (LHA-6), USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), and Wasp-class amphibious assault ship.

Daily responsibilities include inspection, assembly, storage, and loading of ordnance for aircraft types such as F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35B Lightning II, and EA-18G Growler, coordinating with aircrew from units like Strike Fighter Squadron 31 (VFA-31), Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121), and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 (HSC-5). Tasks encompass bomb and missile rigging, fuze setting, rocket and gun system maintenance, and munitions inventory control using systems supervised by Naval Supply Systems Command and documented in manuals from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division. They enforce ordnance stowage per Naval Air Systems Command directives and respond to mishaps following protocols linked to Naval Safety Center, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and National Transportation Safety Board investigations when incidents involve platforms like CVN-71 USS Theodore Roosevelt or USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

Initial training occurs at Aviation Ordnanceman "A" School and advanced courses at Naval Air Technical Training Center with curricula incorporating NATOPS, explosive handling per Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board, and technical instruction tied to platforms like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon systems. Qualifications require completion of PQS packages referenced to Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization and certifications maintained through training events coordinated with Naval Air Systems Command and Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic. Specialized ordnance schools may be attended at Eglin Air Force Base or in joint exercises with United States Marine Corps and Royal Navy units, often preparing sailors for deployments supporting operations such as Operation Inherent Resolve.

Ordnance handled includes free-fall bombs like the Mk 82, precision-guided munitions such as the GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-31 JDAM, air-to-air missiles like the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM, and air-to-ground systems including the AGM-114 Hellfire and AGM-65 Maverick. Support equipment spans bomb racks, pylons, and launchers manufactured by Boeing, General Dynamics, and BAE Systems, plus handling gear like hoists and transporters meeting standards from Naval Sea Systems Command and Defense Logistics Agency. Ordnance maintenance interacts with avionics and weapons integration covered by Naval Air Systems Command directives and testing protocols at facilities such as Naval Air Warfare Center.

Ordnancemen enforce explosive safety rules driven by Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board regulations, Naval Safety Center mishap reporting, and guidance from Chief of Naval Operations publications; compliance includes magazine stowage, electrical bonding, and static control compliant with National Fire Protection Association standards used aboard Aircraft carrier and Amphibious assault ship flight decks. Investigations and lessons learned reference incidents reviewed by Naval Safety Center and sometimes coordinated with National Transportation Safety Board for joint inquiries, while continuous improvement aligns with directives from Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for personnel hazard mitigation and Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards where applicable.

Career advancement follows Navy enlisted rates and ratings progression, moving from junior levels to leading petty officer positions and warrant officer roles with assignments across squadrons like VFA-14, HSC-9, and VFA-147 or to shore billets at Naval Air Station Fallon, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and maintenance depots including Fleet Readiness Center East. Senior ordnancemen may transition to instructor roles at Naval Aviation Schools Command, technical positions within Naval Air Systems Command, or civilian opportunities with defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies supporting programs like F-35 Lightning II. Service decorations and recognitions can include awards administered under Department of the Navy personnel systems for performance during deployments like Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.