Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst

What does an Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst do?

Operates, evaluates, and manages airborne signals intelligence information systems and operations activities and related intelligence and analysis activities on ground processing systems. Performs identification, acquisition, recording, translating, analyzing, and reporting of assigned voice communications. Provides signals intelligence threat warning support and interfaces with other units. Performs and assists in mission planning. Maintains assigned aviation publications and currency items and is knowledgeable on DoD/Intelligence Community and Air Force Intelligence regulations. Participates in theater and tactical level ISR coordination networks. Transcribes, processes, analyzes, and disseminates ISR information obtained from onboard sensors during mission activities and conducts follow-on analysis of assigned communications as required. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 123200.

Duties and responsibilities

• Performs and assists in mission planning. Provides mission planning inputs to maximize mission success. Prepares and distributes operational intelligence information to crew. Coordinates mission profile requirements and priorities. Prepares mission data files and technical aids. Review status of mission aircraft, targets, and air tasking order information. Monitors employment of other assigned air assets and operations.
• Processes, exploits, analyzes, and disseminates signal intelligence information in an airborne environment. Operates airborne signals intelligence systems and executes mission within standard requirements. Performs frequency search missions over specified portions of the radio spectrum with sophisticated computerized radio spectrum with sophisticated computerized radio receiver suites. Tunes and records data as needed. Monitors, complies, and examines signals intelligence information. Translates, evaluates, and locates assigned communications. Records and correlates data from displays and in-flight intelligence data and database flies to perform preliminary analysis. Identifies and analyzes traffic for reportable significance. Improves analytical methods and procedures and maximizes operational effectiveness. Compiles operational data for mission reports. Ensures accuracy, completeness, format, and compliance with current directives and mission system performance engineering, preventive maintenance programs, and aircrew procedures.
• Provides threat warning and actionable intelligence to customers as required. Achieves and maintains situational awareness of impending/ongoing air, ground, and maritime combat operations. Employs intelligence information systems to satisfy air, ground, and maritime force intelligence and threat warning requirements. Provides threat warning information to aircrews and other agencies. Coordinates with airborne, ground, and maritime agencies to distribute and relay operational threat and identification data. Transmits identification and other mission information. Knowledgeable of U.S. and allied operations such as interception, interdiction, Close Air Support (CAS), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Combat Air Patrol (CAP), reconnaissance, Offensive or Defensive Counter Air (OCA/DCA), Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), and Special Operations Forces (SOF). See MDS specific doctrine mission statements.
• Coordinates and exchanges identification information. Coordinates with aerospace rescue and recovery services and operations. Maintains liaison with reporting agencies required for mission execution.
• Performs aircrew duties. Demonstrates and maintains proficiency in emergency equipment use and procedures, and egress. Performs pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight inspections. Operates aircraft systems and equipment, such as electrical, interphone, doors, and exits. Performs preventive maintenance on mission equipment. Ensures equipment and resources are externally clean, functional, and free from safety hazard. Reports malfunctions and observations. Supervises loading and off-loading of classified material and personal aircrew gear. Applies restraint devices, such as cargo straps and nets, to prevent shifting during flight. Ensures access to escape exits.
• Maintains technical aids, logs, and records. Compiles and maintains operation records and statistics. Ensures logs, forms, and correspondence are properly completed, annotated, and distributed. Monitors and maintains working aids, and analytical references.
• Performs ground intelligence duties. Reviews signal intelligence information from airborne missions and correlates additional intelligence data to further refine analytic assessments. Works with other analysts to evaluate information and provide refined analysis as required. Injects new information back into mission planning and preparations processes.
• Performs office duties as assigned. Duties can include functions such as operations, analysis, mission planning, tactics, training, standardization and evaluations, scheduling, deployment operations, or other administrative, aviation or ISR management functions.

Specialty qualifications

Mandatory Knowledge. Proficiency in a designated language, ISR operations and cryptologic support and theater elements; joint service relationships and operational concepts; organization of national intelligence structure; tasking strategies; radio communications operations theory; communications techniques; operation of acquisition, recording, and processing equipment; communications networks; formats, terminology, and theory of traffic analysis; organization of designated military forces; geography, reporting principles, procedures, and format; procedures for processing and distributing intelligence data; functions and operations of electronic equipment; basic computer operations, and methods for handling, distributing, and safeguarding information, and aircraft emergency and procedures.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory. Also, completion of courses in foreign languages, mathematics, typing, and computers is desirable.

Training. For award of AFSC 1A831X, completion of Basic Military Training, the CEA Fundamentals Course, Apprentice Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst (Non-Target) course, and designated survival schools are mandatory. Must attend language accession or conversion training or possess current language proficiency scores of at least L2/R2 as measured by DLPT.

Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 1A851X. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1A831X. Completion of I/MQT and CMR. Completion of B-CDP. Reference 1A8X1X CFETP for additional requirements.
• 1A871X. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1A851X. Meet Aircrew Position Indicator (API) requirements in accordance with DAFMAN 11-402, Table 3.1 and the Unit Manpower Document. Must possess minimum DLPT scores of L2/R2. Upon completion of training, member must have 12 months’ experience performing or supervising airborne Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance functions. Completion of I-CDP is expected within one year after date of rank to Technical Sergeant. Reference 1A8X1X CFETP for additional requirements.

Other. The following are mandatory as indicated:

• For entry into this specialty:
• No record or history of temporomandibular joint disorder or pain.
• A minimum score of 75 on the Predictive Success Model Model (PSM), or demonstrated proficiency in a DoD-trained acquisition language with an L2/R2 or better on the DLPT or OPI equivalent for which accession was approved by AF Career Field Manager (e.g. DLI by-pass).
• For DLI by-pass ONLY: Demonstrated proficiency in an AF mission language with a current (within the last 12 months) L2/R2 or better on the DLPT and a security screening review will be considered by AF Career Field Manager.
• Ability to type at a rate of 25 words per minute.
• See attachment 4 for additional entry requirements.
• For entry, award, and retention of these AFSCs-1A831X/51X/71X:
• Physical qualification for aircrew duty according to DAFMAN 48-123, Medical Examinations and Standards, Flying Class III medical standards and AFS height requirements as listed in the Medical Standards Directory.
• Qualification for aviation service according to DAFMAN 11-402, Aviation, Missile, and Parachutist Service.
• Annual demonstrated proficiency in the CAFSC assigned AF language with an L2/R2 or better on the DLPT. Reference 1A8X1X CFETP for Foreign Language Proficiency and Testing requirements.
• Specialty requires routine access to Tier 5 (T5) information, systems, or similar classified environments.
• Completion of a current T5 Investigation IAW DoDM 5200.02, AFMAN 16-1405, Department of the Air Force Personnel Security Program. Note: Award of the entry level without a completed T5 Investigation is authorized provided an interim Top Secret security clearance has been granted according to DoDM 5200.02, DAFMAN 16-1405.
• Must successfully complete a polygraph examination and meet customer mission access eligibility requirements. Note: Airmen unable to maintain T5 Investigation, unable to complete polygraph or gain mission access to systems and or facilities will be retrained or separated. Begin the process no later than day 365 of lack of access.
• Must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and DAFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security (COMPUSEC).
• Must maintain eligibility to deploy and mobilize worldwide. Airmen coded who are unable to maintain deployment eligibility or worldwide clearance in excess of 12 months will be considered for retrain or separated.

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $43,570–$107,210 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Broadcast Technicians: $43,570
• Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary: $55,620
• Cartographers and Photogrammetrists: $68,380
• General and Operations Managers: $103,650
• Intelligence Analysts: $86,940
• Interpreters and Translators: $52,330
• Operations Research Analysts: $86,200
• Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists: $107,210
• Remote Sensing Technicians: $52,460
• Surveying and Mapping Technicians: $46,200