Applicants must be at least 17 years of age and able to complete the Initial Minimum Period of Service before reaching Compulsory Retirement Age (60).

Applicants will not be allowed to enter the ADF until they achieve a minimum of 17 years of age, however they may be able to initiate the application process from 16 years and six months of age.

To be appointed, you must be medically and physically fit for entry into the ADF. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination. You will also be required to pass a physical fitness test before appointment.

You must also pass the swim test and physical fitness test to graduate from your Navy Training and to proceed to the Safety of Life at Sea Training that is a requirement for Recruit School and Officer training.

For the purposes of Special Medical Requirements, Pilots are classified as 'Aviation Class 1'. Aviation Class 1: Helicopter Pilots - acceptable BMI range is 18.5 to 29.9 and a nude body weight of between 55 and 100kg (measured in underwear). A body weight outside this range in incompatible with pilot training. You must have speech that is clear and free from impediment.

• Height - minimum 163 and maximum 193cm.
• Sitting Height - maximum 100cm.
• Buttock to knee length - maximum 67cm.
• Buttock to heel length - maximum 122cm.

You will be required to successfully pass a Pre-entry Fitness Assessment (PFA) before enlistment. The PFA requires you to complete a specified number of sit-ups and a timed cardio component. Fitness standards differ for selected age groups. Please refer to the Navy - Health and Fitness page for further details.

The RANST is conducted to ensure the Navy's duty of care to all serving personnel, with respect to rudimentary swimming skills. The purpose of the RANST is to ensure fundamental water survival skills as a prerequisite to training such as survival at sea training.

Individual components of the RANST are fundamentally related to the survival at sea scenario.

Competency in the RANST is achieved through successful completion of each component comprising:

• A safety jump off a 3m tower in overalls
• A 10m underwater swim in overalls
• A 50m swim using three safety strokes
• The ability to tread water or float for 15 mins in overalls

For further details on medical and physical fitness standards refer to Physical Fitness Standards for Entry into the ADF and Medical Process for Entry into the ADF.

You will be appointed for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 14 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You may tender your resignation at any time provided you do not have an outstanding Initial Minimum Period of Service obligation.

Defence Academy Entry Officers become liable to an IMPS from the graduation day of their second year of studies. This means that they may leave the Academy at any time up to the end of second year, without any obligation.

Your Careers Coach can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation.

Your suitability to become part of Officer Aviation (OA) is evaluated in detail through a primary and secondary selection system. Primary selection is conducted by ADF Careers at your local DFRC and includes multiple interviews, initial medical screening, and the written Officer Aviation Test Battery (OATB). Those candidates assessed as suitable will progress to the secondary assessment stage, which includes the Aviation Screening Program (ASP) and if successful there, the Officer Selection Board (OSB).

The ASP is a two-day event (plus travel days) where you’ll join a group of eight candidates to not only evaluate your suitability, but to introduce you to all the OA streams in depth as well. You’ll gain firsthand exposure to the training, recreational and accommodation facilities at the RAAF Base East Sale and have the opportunity to talk to current students and instructors at the various schools that make up the Air Academy (AirA). You’ll even be loaned a flight suit to wear for the duration of the ASP, allowing you to fully experience life in military aviation.

Over the two days you will also complete a range of Officer Aviation specific tests to assess your cognitive aptitude and potential to learn in the highly dynamic aviation training environment. Aviation aptitude is assessed using the Military Aviation Cognitive Assessment System (MACTS), which is a series of computer-based tests conducted over two four-hour sessions. Joining instructions and preparation guides will be provided to you by your Enlistment Coordinator (EC).

At the end of the ASP, you’ll individually meet with a debriefing officer to receive your MACTS results and discuss the Officer Aviation (OA) career options that you have been assessed as suitable for: Aviation Warfare Officer (Navy), Remote Pilot Warfare Officer (Navy), Mission (RAAF) or Pilot (Navy, Army and/or RAAF) as well as entry methods (ADFA and/or DEO).

Finally, you’ll be given a progression letter detailing all the OA options that are available to you and you’ll have ten days to respond to your EC with your preferences. You are strongly encouraged to discuss all of these options with your family and friends and to explore any new options that you may not have previously considered. If you choose to proceed, your application will progress to the Officer Selection Board. If you are unsuccessful, you have the option to attend one more (final) ASP no sooner than 12 months from your first attempt.

If you proceed with any Navy options, you will be invited to attend a Navy Officer Selection Board which will give you the opportunity to display your true potential to be a Naval Officer. The OSB Selection Panel is made up of a number of Navy Officers and a Psychologist and together they will assess your suitability and motivation to become a Naval Officer as well as your chosen role through a series of formal interview questions and tasks.

Aviation experience is not required for the role, however it is highly recommended you gain some kind of experience in a small aircraft. Even a single 30-minute Flight Experience or Familiarisation Flight could be highly motivating and informing of your suitability for the airborne environment.

Each aircraft type has its own height, weight and other physiological limitations that must be strictly adhered to for safety purposes. An assessment will be conducted at your screening medical to ensure you meet these requirements for each of the aircraft you are likely to fly in.

The Job Opportunities Assessment (JOA) is completed as part of the application process to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Some jobs may also require you to complete a further evaluation at a later date.

The JOA is used by Defence to establish suitability for ADF entry, and then identify jobs that best match your abilities.

Further information about the JOA can be found in the Guide to the Job Opportunities Assessment for the ADF.

To get a feel for the types of questions that are used in the Job Opportunities Assessment and how they will look on your screen some examples can be found in the Job Opportunities Assessment Example Questions.

To serve in the ADF you must be an Australian Citizen.

If you are a permanent resident of Australia, the ADF may consider a temporary deferral of the citizenship requirement if the position for which you are applying cannot be filled by an applicant who meets all the citizenship requirements, and then only in exceptional circumstances. You will be required to obtain Australian Citizenship as early as possible following enlistment or appointment.

Find out more in our Citizenship page or ask your local ADF Careers Centre.

The Department of Defence requires ADF employees to have a security clearance appropriate to their employment.

A process of background checks, collection of relevant information and if required, interviews, enables the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) to make an informed assessment of an applicant's suitability for a security clearance.

The minimum security clearance level required is Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1), and current policy requires applicants to have a checkable background for the previous 10 years.

This means applicants must provide credible referees (non-family members) who are able to provide information about the applicant covering an extended period of time. Required information for an NV1 includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Residence
• Employment
• Education
• Financial information
• Travel

Some ADF jobs may require a higher level of security clearance such as Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) or Positive Vetting (PV). Your individual circumstances will determine the number and complexity of the questions and the supporting documents required for these levels.

Australian Citizenship is a requirement for a security clearance and a clearance will only be granted to a non-citizen in exceptional circumstances.

The security clearance is critical to an applicant's successful progression through the recruiting process. It is strongly recommended that all applicants action the Security Clearance Package (ePack) and provide the required documentation without delay to provide the best opportunity to commence training and be employed in their preferred employment category.

For more detailed information on the security vetting process and specific clearance level requirements set by AGSVA, please refer to the AGSVA website.

Support will be provided by DFR during the initial application process.

You will start your military flying career with the Pilot Basic Course which is 24 Weeks in duration and has about 60 hours of flying and simulation. The flying disciplines include General Flying, Instrument Flying, Night Flying, and an introduction to medium level visual Navigation.

This course includes, but is not limited to:

• Flying manoeuvres (flying circuits, basic aerobatics, stalling and emergency handling)
• Basic instrument interpretation skills
• Flying instrument approaches
• Ground training including aerodynamics, aircraft systems, airmanship, air power, air traffic control, aviation medicine, cockpit systems, meteorology, Morse code, and navigation.

Following the Pilot Basic Course, you will undergo Pilot Intermediate Course. This course is approximately 36 weeks long duration with 135 hours of flying and simulation. Aside from developing the flying skills learnt on the Pilot Basic Course, you will also be introduced to formation flying and low-level navigation. You will also learn how to ‘operate’ an aircraft and not just fly it. On successful completion of Pilot Intermediate course, you will be awarded your Pilot ‘Wings’.

During this course, you will receive approximately 87 flying hours and 77 simulator hours in the EC135 helicopter and simulator. The course builds on the experience gained on fixed wing flying courses with the aim of providing the skills, knowledge, attitude, and other attributes necessary for trainee pilots to commence operational type training.

This course includes, but is not limited to:

• Day and night (including night vision devices) flight operations
• Low level terrain flight
• Ship-deck landings
• Hoisting
• Utility (load lifting)
• Confined area operations
• Maritime hi-line transfers
• Instrument flying
• Additional formation flight
• Extensive emergency and malfunction training.

You will begin training on the Seahawk where you will team up with Helicopter Mission Commanders and together you will first learn how to fly the aircraft before learning how to fight in it.

This course includes, but is not limited to:

• General flying
• Emergency training
• Night vision devices
• Embarked operations (ship-deck)
• Search and rescue
• Utility
• Instrument flying
• Basic system and sensor operation,
• Advanced anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare and tactics
• Weapons employment

A range of follow-on training may be available to Navy Helicopter Pilots including:

• Qualified Flying Instructor: Teach others to operate the various aircraft you flew on your way to become a Navy Pilot.
• Test Pilot: Conduct flight testing and trials as part of the Navy’s Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Test Unit.
• General Naval Officer training: Throughout your career, you will undertake non-aviation training to further broaden your military officer abilities in preparation for future staff, executive and command roles in the wider Navy, Defence and other government agencies, both nationally and internationally.

You will learn to understand and how manage the physiological challenges of flight such as G-forces and hypoxia.

You will learn how to survive in arduous and/or hostile environments during domestic and combat downed aircraft scenarios.

In a state-of-the-art facility, you will learn how to safely egress a submerged helicopter both with and without emergency breathing devices as well as other sea survival techniques.