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Marine Corps MOS · Aviation

7518 Pilot VMFA FRS F-35B Qualified

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

An F-35B qualified VMFA pilot operates a network enabled and digitally interoperable fighter attack aircraft. The pilot provides aviation support across the full spectrum of combat operations.

Minimum clearance: Top Secret

Core Skills

  • Operation of network-enabled, digitally interoperable aircraft

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.

Commercial Pilots

Operating fighter-attack aircraft provides directly transferable piloting experience for civilian commercial flying.

How to prepare: Review your military flight records with a civilian flight school to identify certificate, rating, and flight-experience gaps for charter or other unscheduled flying.

What the civilian work involves
  • Check aircraft prior to flights to ensure that the engines, controls, instruments, and other systems are functioning properly.
  • Use instrumentation to pilot aircraft when visibility is poor.
  • Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Aeronautical charts
  • AeroPlanner

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Military fighter-attack piloting provides flight experience relevant to the airline pilot entry route described by BLS.

How to prepare: Have an airline-focused flight school assess your logged experience against ATP requirements, including age and flight hours. Scheduled airline flight crews must hold ATP certificates, which require a commercial pilot certificate first; airline pilots typically also need a bachelor's degree.

What the civilian work involves
  • Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
  • Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
  • Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • AeroPlanner

Notes & Sources

  • Both flying paths require the applicable FAA certificates and ratings, medical qualification, flight experience, and knowledge and practical examinations; periodic physical and practical flight examinations are also required.
Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. NAVMC 1200.1L (FY26, in force): MOS 7518

    [1] MOS 7518 section "a. Summary"; cached text line 18290; NAVMC 1200.1L signed 2025-03-07, in force until 2026-10-01

    Supports: Operation of network-enabled, digitally interoperable aircraft, Commercial Pilots (O*NET 53-2012.00), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (O*NET 53-2011.00)

  2. O*NET: Commercial Pilots

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Commercial Pilots (O*NET 53-2012.00)

  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics: airline and commercial pilot duties and entry requirements

    [3] What They Do; How to Become One; Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations; updated 2026-08-27, retrieved 2026-09-23

    Supports: Commercial Pilots (O*NET 53-2012.00), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (O*NET 53-2011.00)

  4. O*NET: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

    [4] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (O*NET 53-2011.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 7518

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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