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Marine Corps MOS · Aviation

6153 Helicopter Airframe Mechanic, CH-53

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

A CH-53 Helicopter Airframe Mechanic inspects, services, maintains, and repairs aircraft airframe structures. The mechanic also works on composite materials, hydraulic systems, and landing gear systems.

Minimum ASVAB: CL 105 or MM 105

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-18

Program scope has not been reviewed.

Policy applicability and coverage of the program's score routes have not been reviewed. Shown-route arithmetic is not an eligibility decision.

Source: navmc-1200-1l-fy26 (source date 2025-03). Policy applicability has not been established.

See if you would hit this score: free ASVAB practice test

Core Skills

  • Aircraft composite material inspection and repair
  • Aircraft hydraulic system maintenance and repair
  • Landing gear inspection and servicing

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

CH-53 airframe, composite, hydraulic, and landing gear inspection and repair experience directly overlaps civilian aircraft maintenance work.

How to prepare: Gather military maintenance experience records for FAA review toward an Airframe rating and identify any experience or testing gaps.

What the civilian work involves
  • Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
  • Read and interpret maintenance manuals, service bulletins, and other specifications to determine the feasibility and method of repairing or replacing malfunctioning or damaged components.
  • Maintain repair logs, documenting all preventive and corrective aircraft maintenance.

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Repairing CH-53 airframe structures and composite material provides a foundation for aircraft assembly inspection, rework, and parts replacement.

How to prepare: Practice reading aircraft production blueprints and assembly specifications to bridge from maintenance work to manufacturing layouts and sequences.

What the civilian work involves
  • Read blueprints, illustrations, or specifications to determine layouts, sequences of operations, or identities or relationships of parts.
  • Inspect or test installed units, parts, systems, or assemblies for fit, alignment, performance, defects, or compliance with standards, using measuring instruments or test equipment.
  • Adjust, repair, rework, or replace parts or assemblies to ensure proper operation.

Notes & Sources

  • For the FAA Airframe rating, applicants must be at least 18, read, write, speak, and understand English, and pass knowledge, oral, and practical tests. The experience route requires at least 18 months of appropriate practical experience, with military documentation evaluated by the FAA; an FAA-approved maintenance school or the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council training course provides an alternative route. The certificate is not required by FAA regulation for every airline mechanic job, though air carriers often require it for hiring.
Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. NAVMC 1200.1L (FY26, in force): MOS 6153

    [1] MOS 6153 section "a. Summary"; cached text line 49910; NAVMC 1200.1L signed 2025-03-07, in force until 2026-10-01

    Supports: Aircraft composite material inspection and repair, Aircraft hydraulic system maintenance and repair, Landing gear inspection and servicing, Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00), Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (O*NET 51-2011.00)

  2. O*NET: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00)

  3. FAA: Become an Aviation Mechanic

    [3] Requirements and mechanic experience requirements

    Supports: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00)

  4. O*NET: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (O*NET 51-2011.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 6153

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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