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ArmyAviationRank #21 of 101 by 4-year cost
15W

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator

23-week pipeline · BCT + AIT · Fort Huachuca, AZ
Training Pipeline
$65K
23 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$65K
E-4/E-5, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$15K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$385K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$65K17%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$260K67%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$60K16%
Training: 17% · MILPERS: 67% · Equipment: 16%= $385K
By the Numbers

UAS operators provide persistent ISR that no other platform matches at the tactical level. The 15W pipeline cost reflects both simulation-based training and actual aircraft qualification — increasingly in demand as drone warfare expands.

Training Pipeline
Duration
23 weeks
Type
BCT + AIT
Location
Fort Huachuca, AZ
Pipeline Cost
$65K

A Grey Eagle UAS costs $11M per aircraft. 15W operators qualify on systems ranging from the 4.5-lb RQ-11 Raven ($35K) to the MQ-1C Grey Eagle ($11M) — a 300:1 cost ratio across the same career field.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Primary Platform
MQ-1C Grey Eagle — $11M per aircraft (2-operator crew)
Assigned Equipment
  • ·RQ-11B Raven UAS ($35K)
  • ·MQ-1C Grey Eagle UAS ($11M)
  • ·Ground Control Station
  • ·Satellite Link Equipment
  • ·Maintenance Kit
Annual Equipment Burden
$15K/yr
GCS share + personal UAS kit + Grey Eagle amortized share
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-4/E-5, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$63K/yr
Specialty Pay(Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator Pay)+$2K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$65K/yr
Specialty pays account for $2K annually (2% of total compensation).
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~1,400
Avg Career Length6 years
Annual Training Bill$91.0M
Total Force 4yr Cost$538.3M
Read 15W Reviews →← All MOS ProfilesAverage Per-Soldier Cost →
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Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.