The Student Room Group

what is needed for a RN warfare officer?

hi people i really need to find out what i will need to become a warfare officer in the royal navy.

im just going into my last year at school and im expecting As and Bs in all my subjects which i think im going to get tbh.

im also going to do higher education at collage of sixthform but im not sure what will be best subjects for the job as a warfare officer in the navy so i can get the 180 ucas points which is required.

also it also says on the navy website that a For Direct Graduate entry, you’ll need a degree or equivalent... could somebody tell me also what this is aswell because im not sure weather it is a waste of time getting a degree. i would like to get the degree but i dont have a clue what the degree is lol.

any answers are welcome and are greatly appriciated :smile:
I believe for warfare officer, that you have no choice but to have a degree from a university. Though I could be totally wrong and am unable to look on there site at the present time.
Idiot-Finder
I believe for warfare officer, that you have no choice but to have a degree from a university. Though I could be totally wrong and am unable to look on there site at the present time.


Yes, you're wrong.

OP, you can either join when you finish sixth form (so with just A-Levels/Highers) or you can go to uni and get a degree, then join. Both options are equally viable to you, so the real question is should you get a degree? Well that's a topic which has been discussed in depth many times in this forum, so a search should throw up some valuable insights (in fact I seem to recall I wrote a fairly lengthy post advising someone on it a couple of months ago, so if all else fails go through my posting history and find that!). But to give you a brief précis, getting a degree will not only give you a solid fallback option should you fail to get into the RN or leave in the infancy of your career (for whatever reason, probably beyond your control), but also give you opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities, sports clubs, societies, uni reserve forces etc; things which a) make you a more well-rounded person, b) give you a taste for life in the armed forces (if you so wish), c) are loads of fun to get involved in anyway, and d) will probably make you more appealing to the likes of the RN (and contemporary civilian graduate employers) in terms of selection.

So ultimately it's your decision and there is no right or wrong choice per se, but what I would say is that what the future (short and long term) holds for the armed forces is very uncertain right now; there is an SDR looming with massive budget, resources and personnel cuts in the pipeline, and that's only in the next few months - so God only knows what will be happening when your time to serve comes! With all that in mind, I think it makes sense to give yourself as many options as possible.
Reply 3
scannell30
i can get the 180 ucas points which is required.


Remember that that is a minimum requirement. Warfare is a very competitive branch, you'll need to prove yourself better than others in order to get in.
Reply 4
DBazza
Yes, you're wrong.
cheers for the information alot as it has really helped out
im very grateful believe me :smile:
Reply 5
First, an understanding of the role of a Warfare Officer is required.

As a sub-lieutenant and lieutenant, you'll probably be doing lots of navigation and spending time with each and every part of the ship to learn its capabilities and the processes like the back of your hand.
Then, you will have a choice of what you want to specialise in: You can be a PWO and fight the ship on behalf of the captain, an AWO and be in charge of fighter jets and also incoming air targets (I think) or an SWO and specialise in Submarine Warfare. NOTE As a MALE Officer in the Royal Navy, you can always be called into a commision on a submarine (SWO or otherwise).

After that, you take command of a ship (even as early as Lieutenant Commander if you're very very good). However, commands are very competitive as there are SO many officers qualified for the job. It's very much a case of right place/right time sorta **** sadly.


What's required? Good communication skills, leadership skills, keeping calm in tense situations, good problem solving. It's very bog standard. You've also got to be very physically fit.

I'm going to BRNC next week for a taste of what life in the Navy is like, then my AIB is in November! I'm going for Warfare Officer too :smile:
Reply 6
A little bit of advice for if/when you apply to the RN:

Always dress the part when they see you for appointments. They look at you from day dot. I'm talking shirt and tie, no trainers and jeans.

Also, hand in the paperwork as soon as you get it (believe me, there's a lot). This not only gives them the impression that you've got your **** together, it also hurries the system along so you don't wait as long!

Start running. You'll need to complete a mile and a half in 12mins 30secs (it's very easy, not gonna lie) but without prior 'training' you will struggle. Also, you will need to complete the MSFT (bleep test) at the AIB and the minimum level is 7.8 - At AIB, the higher the level, the more marks. The bleep test is easy marks towards the final cut.

Brush up on your naval knowledge. Can you name me all types of ship the navy has, their roles and the weapons systems they have? It's a lot more than destroyer and aircraft carrier, believe me. Can you name me all types of helicopters, what they are used for and what weapons they use to do such tasks? Obviously, you've JUST thought about applying, but they will ask you this stuff sooner or later when you apply (before AIB).


Sorry if this scared you. However, you need to know your stuff to beat everyone else. As has already been said, it's very competitive.
Blutarsky
First, an understanding of the role of a Warfare Officer is required.

As a sub-lieutenant and lieutenant, you'll probably be doing lots of navigation and spending time with each and every part of the ship to learn its capabilities and the processes like the back of your hand.
Then, you will have a choice of what you want to specialise in: You can be a PWO and fight the ship on behalf of the captain, an AWO and be in charge of fighter jets and also incoming air targets (I think) or an SWO and specialise in Submarine Warfare. NOTE As a MALE Officer in the Royal Navy, you can always be called into a commision on a submarine (SWO or otherwise).

After that, you take command of a ship (even as early as Lieutenant Commander if you're very very good). However, commands are very competitive as there are SO many officers qualified for the job. It's very much a case of right place/right time sorta **** sadly.


What's required? Good communication skills, leadership skills, keeping calm in tense situations, good problem solving. It's very bog standard. You've also got to be very physically fit.

I'm going to BRNC next week for a taste of what life in the Navy is like, then my AIB is in November! I'm going for Warfare Officer too :smile:


Broadly speaking, correct. Scanell, Warfare Officers split into various categories - X, X(SM), X(P), X(O), and X(ATC). You will go in at your AIB with three preferences of jobs. The last three I named are all Fleet Air Air (FAA), and are Pilot, Observer, and Air Traffic Controller respectively. They require you to do Flying Aptitude Tests - FATs. It's quite hard to change your specialisation once you've started training.

There are more specialisations for X than simply PWO, you also have Navigating Officer (NO) and Meterological & Oceanographic Officer (MetOc). There are a few others but they're not coming to me right now. The officer i/c of Flight (provided you have a flight deck :p:) tends to be an Observer, although this isn't always the case.

It is true that any male officer can be required to serve on a boat, however, the Navy has a sufficient flow of X(SM) right now. Onboard a boat you go through the various positions over several years, which include NO, Tactics & Sonar Officer (TASO), and Sonar Officer amongst others. It's a misconception that you'd be on boats your whole career, you are qualified for both surface and subsurface warfare, and is part of why submariners are highly promotable. It's also coz they're just so damn clever. :wink:
Reply 8
Crimson Black
Broadly speaking, correct. Scanell, Warfare Officers split into various categories - X, X(SM), X(P), X(O), and X(ATC). You will go in at your AIB with three preferences of jobs. The last three I named are all Fleet Air Air (FAA), and are Pilot, Observer, and Air Traffic Controller respectively. They require you to do Flying Aptitude Tests - FATs. It's quite hard to change your specialisation once you've started training.

There are more specialisations for X than simply PWO, you also have Navigating Officer (NO) and Meterological & Oceanographic Officer (MetOc). There are a few others but they're not coming to me right now. The officer i/c of Flight (provided you have a flight deck :p:) tends to be an Observer, although this isn't always the case.

It is true that any male officer can be required to serve on a boat, however, the Navy has a sufficient flow of X(SM) right now. Onboard a boat you go through the various positions over several years, which include NO, Tactics & Sonar Officer (TASO), and Sonar Officer amongst others. It's a misconception that you'd be on boats your whole career, you are qualified for both surface and subsurface warfare, and is part of why submariners are highly promotable. It's also coz they're just so damn clever. :wink:


Are you in the Navy then? :smile:

I'm still needing to brush up on exactly the path that the Warfare Officer job can take you! Pretty useful stuff.

May I ask though... What exactly is X? :p:
Blutarsky
Are you in the Navy then? :smile:

I'm still needing to brush up on exactly the path that the Warfare Officer job can take you! Pretty useful stuff.

May I ask though... What exactly is X? :p:


X is the abbreviation for Warfare! :biggrin: Yeah, I'm halfway through IOT at BRNC. Any questions, feel free!
Reply 10
Crimson Black
X is the abbreviation for Warfare! :biggrin: Yeah, I'm halfway through IOT at BRNC. Any questions, feel free!


Oh cool, thanks :smile:

Nice one - I was reading the kit list for IOT last night and it's slightly daunting how strict it is! Did you get in on the sponsorship and reserved place scheme?

If you've got any 'insider' tips for the AIB, I'd be very grateful lol :biggrin:
Blutarsky
Oh cool, thanks :smile:

Nice one - I was reading the kit list for IOT last night and it's slightly daunting how strict it is! Did you get in on the sponsorship and reserved place scheme?

If you've got any 'insider' tips for the AIB, I'd be very grateful lol :biggrin:


No, I got in on DGE (direct graduate entry). The kit list is like that because of the limited space you have to keep things in. :biggrin:

As for AIB... there's an excellent thread in the newbies section of rum ration, has far too much advice on it! There are no other real tips I can give apart from be yourself and prepare very well for it. Enthusiasm shows!
Reply 12
Crimson Black
No, I got in on DGE (direct graduate entry). The kit list is like that because of the limited space you have to keep things in. :biggrin:

As for AIB... there's an excellent thread in the newbies section of rum ration, has far too much advice on it! There are no other real tips I can give apart from be yourself and prepare very well for it. Enthusiasm shows!


Ha yes I saw that it was an A4 sized tray 7.5cm deep! I suppose you've got to get used to the limited space at sea.

Brilliant - Thanks for that. I shall take a look!
Just a few bits of advice from my experience at Dartmouth...

I would say getting fit is a big one, it wont really help you pass or fail, but will improve your time at BRNC. Im running the 1.5 in about nine and a half mins, and still feel half dead after some of the pt sessions. The RN fitness test level is about 11:10 (give or take a few seconds, i cant remember) but if your hitting over ten and a half you will struggle. Also a good level of fitness helps morale-wise hugely on ABLE, and good morale shines through towards a pass!
As for the amount of stuff you can take, to be honest you have a fair bit of space at BRNC. All your civvies will stay in the baggage store until between weeks 2 and 7 depending on your sea parents. That said I think a lot of people (myself included) underpacked. I took chinos a blazer three shirts and a polo, as well as gym shorts and a t-shirt for the gym. Take some warm clothes (trakkies a hoodie etc...) as you will spend time doing sports like sailing, and shorts and a t-shirt is not enough to keep you warm.
The first few weeks are pretty hectic, keep your head up. Rounds are a big game, learn to play along, your sea parents/DO/DivChief dont want to be wasting their evenings inspecting you any more than you want to be wasting yours cleaning. Some people will get over stressed about little things, and that causes tension within the division which is far worse. Take a sense of perspective, you wont get kicked out for having badly bulled shoes!!!
Be decent to the Arabs. A lot of people treat them like dirt to be honest, and some are pretty crap and the job, that said others are excellent, and in my experience their loyalty to their friends is second to none. Treat them with respect, and you will get valuable friends who will work hard to help you out, treat them badly and they can easily cause you problems.
DO NOT GET COCKY WITH THE OFFICERS! Somone who seems to have little direct bearing on your division or training may take very badly to you answering back or rolling your eyes. Next thing you know they are sitting on the CAG board that decides your fate if you fail ABLE and ALE, and it only takes one negative report about your attitude to get you COMPWFTed (compulsory withdrawl from training). Anyone who was at Dartmouth in the April intake will probably know a citain chap who fell fowl to this!!!
Take good waterproofing for ABLE, canoe bags are great, get about five of them big enough for two or three folded jumpers. I didnt have them, and was horibly envious of everyone who had. You need to be able to pack your things as compact as possible for in your burgan, so try to get the bags with an air valve to get any air out.
Listen to your back-phasers (the people held back from last entry - mainly ABLE failures and injury cases.) they know what BRNC is all about.
For ABLE, get to know how to do PLTs. Learn the NATO sequence of orders to the letter, if you are going to deviate justify what you are doing, and only deviate from the sequence when absolutely neccisary! ("Im not going to use a sequence of phases to get this task done as I feel that the concurrent activity is more important"- When you get near to doing ABLE you will know what I mean!) Learn the buzzwords - phases, concurrent activity, limitations, and say them on every task, several times if possible. ABLE has loads of free marks for using the right phrases. (I realised this and passed 3/3 tasks, so it works!) As long as you pass ABLE and arnt a complete cock you will pass term 1.

As for AIB, its pretty easy when you look back at it. Keep a good attitude, keep positive and in control of yourself, even if things go tits-up. Dont panic, whatever happens, if you look like your comfortable and in control, even if your not, you should be fine. Know your branch and career path in depth, it will help on th intervew immensely (For warefare - BRNC term 1 militerisation, ABLE, BSSC - term 2 IFT 10 weeks on capital ships - Ark Royal, Albion, Ocean then fleet board at the end of IFT, this comprises of oral and written tests about the ship/RN then back to BRNC for MARL then pass out, After that Initial warfare officers course at BRNC for 1 term, followed by initial DOs course SFT nav course etc...) There is a high failure rate, but then there is a lot of crap applicants, be confident, and be prepared and its easy.

Hope this is reasonably helpful, its just some of teh bits that I found really stood out for me, and that your AFCO wont necissarily tell you.
Good luck...
A point to add from the degree perspective is that having (or not having) a degree is a consideration also for the end of your career. As been mentioned, yes its a good fallback for those whose careers are cut short but its also useful for those who make a longer career out of the forces. When you leave many career options at a equivilent experience and pay level for retired officers require a degree (even if you were warfare branch) and not having the piece of paper (even though its 16 years old and youve forgotten it all) can hold you back!

Sure you can still get an in service degree as you ascend the command ladder but that takes considerable years before you get that far.

In my experience I wish i had got a degree first as i wouldnt be having to do one now as a mature student to stand a chance of getting a decent career utilising my skills and experience. Especially since the recession you need to have the right ticks on your CV and in my case ive lost out on a lot of good jobs purely because i didnt have a degree on my CV despite having all the requisite experience and skills.

In the current and projected economic climate i would expect the competition for jobs to remain very high for many many years.

So consider long and hard if you want to get a degree before you join!!
Reply 15
I think that the main considerations have been covered. I joined as an NCE in 2007. The big difference has, I believe, been covered by DBazza - with respect to the experience that university will afford you, and particularly the development of certain skills and activities which would be looked upon favourably during an AIB. Ultimately, it will make little difference (within a year of BRNC you'll know and have experienced everything you need - it just gives you a bit of a head-start; I wish I had been to uni first).

Then there is the post-service employability... I was lucky enough (or more accurately, unlucky enough) to be injured early enough in my career that uni wasn't beyond me - I'm not sure it would have been quite the same as a 45 year old (I found it a big enough culture shock as a 22 year old).

Within the service though, after the first few years, it really makes very little difference whether you have a degree or not. I joined when I did because I wanted to get a head-start in my career... I had not planned for an obstacle though. :frown: Perhaps a worthy consideration?
Reply 16
Hi there, I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions in regards to the position of warfare officer?

Thanks :smile:
Original post by maz63
Hi there, I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions in regards to the position of warfare officer?

Thanks :smile:


This thread is 6 years old so not sure if they'll still be on TSR but feel free to ask any of me, I'm in IWO(F) currently.

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