Also called: Army 14H Air Defense Enhanced Early Warning, Army 14E Patriot Fire Control
Operates radars and interceptor systems like Patriot and THAAD that shoot down incoming missiles and drones.
Air defense crews sit in control vans watching radar screens, ready to engage threats in seconds, and spend long hours maintaining launchers and radars. Recent conflicts have made this one of the busiest jobs in the Army. Skills transfer to radar and defense contractor roles.
RMC (base pay + housing/food allowances + tax advantage) for typical E-1 to E-7 ranks, 2026 estimate; air defense often carries enlistment bonuses.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0.5 years after high school. High school diploma, then basic training and ~4-6 months of air defense training. Free-college benefits: Tuition Assistance (up to $4,500/yr) while serving, the Post-9/11 GI Bill (36 months of tuition + housing stipend) afterward, and SkillBridge internships before separating.
Ways in: Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Electrical Engineering Technology, Physics.
Growing faster than average. Not in BLS projections; air and missile defense units are expanding.
Medium risk for 10 years. Engagements against fast missiles are largely automated; crews monitor and authorize.
Classes: Physics, Computer science.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.