Navy
AVIATION
Subspecialty

Officer Subspecialty

5400

Aeronautical Engineering

An officer subspecialty earned alongside a primary designator, marking advanced education or experience in this field.

Description

Aeronautical Engineering officers apply engineering principles to the design, performance, safety, testing, and sustainment of naval aircraft. They coordinate aircraft technical programs and assess airworthiness, reliability, and operational readiness.

Core Skills

  • aircraft systems engineering
  • aerodynamic analysis
  • aircraft structural analysis
  • propulsion systems
  • flight performance analysis
  • airworthiness compliance
  • maintenance program management
  • technical risk management
  • engineering test planning

Common Certifications

  • Professional Engineer (PE) License
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)
  • FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic Certificate
  • Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
  • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
  • ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE)

Civilian Career Paths

  • COMMERCIAL AVIATION
  • AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
  • MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
  • PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Training & Development

Getting Started

  • FE Mechanical Engineering Exam
  • FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic Certificate
  • ASQ Quality 101 course
  • MATLAB Fundamentals course

Career Growth

  • Professional Engineer (PE) License
  • Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • ASQ Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE)

Data sourced from official Navy publications and public military occupational references. Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.