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Marine Corps MOS · Aviation

6531 Aircraft Ordnance Technician

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

Aircraft Ordnance Technicians inspect, maintain, and repair armament equipment and load aviation ordnance on Marine Corps aircraft. They inspect ammunition, test aircraft systems, perform preventive maintenance, make repairs, fuse and load ammunition, and arm or disarm aircraft.

Minimum clearance: Secret

Minimum ASVAB: CL 105 or GT 105

ASVAB policy: Not policy-reviewed · coverage unknown · as of 2026-10-19

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 systems testing and preventive maintenance
  • Armament equipment inspection and repair
  • Ammunition inspection, loading, and fusing
  • Aircraft arming and de-arming procedures

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.

Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

Armament equipment inspection, preventive maintenance, repairs, and aircraft systems testing transfer to equipment maintenance and fault diagnosis.

How to prepare: Compare the equipment in local maintenance openings with your repair experience, then seek hands-on training for unfamiliar drives, motors, or controls.

What the civilian work involves
  • Perform routine maintenance, such as inspecting drives, motors, or belts, checking fluid levels, replacing filters, or doing other preventive maintenance actions.
  • Inspect, operate, or test machinery or equipment to diagnose machine malfunctions.
  • Repair machines, equipment, or structures, using tools such as hammers, hoists, saws, drills, wrenches, or equipment such as precision measuring instruments or electrical or electronic testing devices.

Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

Aircraft armament maintenance and systems testing provide a foundation for broader aircraft component inspection and repair.

How to prepare: Ask the FAA to evaluate your documented military maintenance experience before choosing a certification route: experience eligibility requires 18 months appropriate to one rating or 30 months concurrently appropriate to both, with approved school or military certification-course routes also available. For the FAA mechanic certificate, applicants must be at least 18, meet English-language requirements, and pass knowledge, oral, and practical tests; the certificate is not required for every airline mechanic job, but air carriers often require it for hiring.

What the civilian work involves
  • 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.
  • Examine and inspect aircraft components, including landing gear, hydraulic systems, and deicers to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Aircraft armament equipment repair and systems testing overlap with checking installed assemblies and correcting component defects.

How to prepare: Take a practical aircraft assembly course covering blueprint interpretation, fasteners, and fit checks to build manufacturing skills beyond ordnance maintenance.

What the civilian work involves
  • Assemble parts, fittings, or subassemblies on aircraft, using layout tools, hand tools, power tools, or fasteners, such as bolts, screws, rivets, or clamps.
  • 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.

Training & Development

Choose credentials for your target role. COOL funding markers describe program listings, not a guarantee of eligibility or funding.

Getting Started

  • Certified Aerospace Technician Core

    Develop and demonstrate aerospace fundamentals in applied mechanics, basic electricity, testing, materials, and safety through written, oral, and practical assessment.

    Eligibility and preparation: Meet any one route: active-duty or veteran service in an aeronautical, aviation, aerospace, or engineering MOS, rating, or assignment; at least two years of work in one of those fields; a college or technical-school degree of at least two years in one of those disciplines; or an FAA Airframe & Powerplant Certificate.

    For: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

  • ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

    Build knowledge of tool accountability, housekeeping, material handling, and parts protection for aircraft maintenance and assembly environments.

    Eligibility and preparation: No mandatory prior credential, education, or experience is required; AET certification is not a prerequisite.

    For: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (9 documents)
  1. NAVMC 1200.1L (FY26, in force): MOS 6531

    [1] MOS 6531 section "a. Summary"; cached text line 52863; NAVMC 1200.1L signed 2025-03-07, in force until 2026-10-01

    Supports: Aircraft systems testing and preventive maintenance, Armament equipment inspection and repair, Ammunition inspection, loading, and fusing, Aircraft arming and de-arming procedures, Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (O*NET 49-9071.00), Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (O*NET 49-3011.00), Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (O*NET 51-2011.00)

    [2]NAVMC 1200.1L MOS 6531: Related SOC titles · MOS 6531 section "e. Related Standard Occupational Classification"

    Supports: Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (O*NET 49-9071.00)

  2. O*NET: Maintenance and Repair Workers, General

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (O*NET 49-9071.00)

  3. O*NET: Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

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

  4. FAA: Become an Aviation Mechanic

    [5] Requirements and mechanic experience requirements

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

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

    [6] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

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

  6. COOL credential mapping: Certified Aerospace Technician Core

    [7] 6531 cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: Certified Aerospace Technician Core

    [9]SpaceTEC Partners, Inc.: Certified Aerospace Technician - Core Certification · Core Certification section; retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Certified Aerospace Technician Core

  7. SpaceTEC Partners, Inc.: Qualifications for SpaceTEC Certifications

    [8] Qualifications for SpaceTEC Certified Aerospace Technician Core; retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Certified Aerospace Technician Core

  8. COOL credential mapping: ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

    [10] 6531 cached COOL credential feed

    Supports: ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

    [11]SpaceTEC Partners, Inc.: ASTM NCATT certification information, exam list, and FAQ · Background; Exams Offered (Aircraft Electronics Technician, AET Endorsements, Other ASTM NCATT exams); Frequently Asked Questions; retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

  9. ASTM NCATT FOE Elements of Basic Awareness Study Guide (PDF, copyright 2022 ASTM International NCATT)

    [12] Scope (sec. 1) and Significance and Use (sec. 3); retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: ASTM NCATT Foreign Object Elimination (FOE)

Defense contractor jobs for 6531

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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