You can start your application at sixteen and a half years but you must be at least seventeen years on the day you join the Air Force.

The maximum age that you can join is sixty years, minus the period of obligation.  For example, if your obligation is ten years, you can join at fifty years. 

The requirements for acceptance into Initial Officer Training for Officer Aviation (all streams) are:

• Completion of Year 12
• Passes in English and three other academic subjects.

The completion of Year 12 university entry level mathematics (unmodified) and physics or multi-strand science is highly desirable.

To be enlisted or appointed, you must be medically and physically fit for entry to your chosen occupation. 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 successfully pass a physical fitness assessment before appointment.

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

Your nine year Return of Service Obligation (ROSO) will not commence until you start your Fast Jet Conversion Course (known in service as the operational conversion course). An operational conversion is the course you undertake after your basic courses and is specific to the aircraft type you are allocated to. This means that if you decide that Officer Aviation is not for you, or you are unsuccessful in your pilot Initial Stream Employment Training prior to operational conversion, you will not incur a ROSO.

You may apply to separate from Defence provided you do not have any outstanding service obligation.

Each aircraft type has its own weight and height limitations however to be appointed to undergo pilot training, you must be able to meet the PC21 anthropometric limits. However if you are not sitting in a cockpit the weight and height imitations are the same as the general entry standards.

Good communication is critical for all OA streams, so your speech must be clear and free from impediment.

A detailed evaluation of your suitability to become part of the OA family requires a primary and a secondary selection process. The primary selection process is conducted by Defence Force Recruiting at your local DFRC and includes interviews and an initial Officer Aviation Test Battery (OATB). Those candidates assessed as suitable will progress to the secondary assessment stage, which includes a two day Aviation Screening Program (ASP). Depending on your ASP results you may be invited to attend an Officer Selection Board (OSB). The OSB will be scheduled for some time after ASP.

The ASP will be managed by the Aviation Candidate Management Centre (ACMC) and will take place at RAAF Base East Sale, VIC.

The ASP is not only designed to evaluate OA applicants in order to determine their suitability to undergo aviation training, but it is also designed to give applicants a better understanding of all of the streams within the OA family. Because all Officer Aviation Candidates (OACs) undergo some training at RAAF Base East Sale, East Sale is the perfect place for the ASP to be conducted as it allows you to be able to experience what it will be like to live on the very base that you will be training at. You’ll get firsthand experience of the training, recreational and accommodation facilities at the RAAF Base East Sale as well as the opportunity to talk with students and instructors at the Air Academy (AirA). Aviation aptitude is assessed using the Military Aviation Cognitive Assessment System (MACTS), which is computer based, and is conducted over two four-hour sessions.

On the afternoon of the second day of the ASP, ACMC staff will debrief you on your MACTS results and they will advise you which progression options are available to you. If you want to proceed with the option/s available, you will be invited to attend a RAAF Officer Selection Board (ROSB), which involves a series of group activities, problem-solving exercises and verbal presentation exercises plus a formal interview. This gives applicants an excellent opportunity to display their true potential to be an Officer. The ROSB is made up of an RAAF officer plus a Psychologist.

At a minimum, candidates must hold a valid Australian State or Territory provisional/probationary C Class Drivers Licence upon enlistment/appointment. Candidates with suspended or cancelled licences will not be eligible to join until the suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.

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 Defence Force Recruiting 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.

Location: Officers' Training School (OTS), RAAF Base East Sale, VIC
Duration: 17 weeks

Phase 1: Military Introduction. During this phase training you will be introduced to life in the military. The themes of values based behaviour, self-leadership, team membership and followership are explored through collaborative problem solving, self-mastery and resilience building activities. Weapons qualification and martial skills are included in this phase.

Phase 2: Education. During this phase of training you will be introduced to leading military teams, effectively managing a workplace and applying critical thinking skills. The themes of moral courage, moral judgement and social mastery are explored through scenario-based experiential learning opportunities and facilitated decision making. Air and space power immersion in the joint environment is included in this phase.

Phase 3: Application. During this phase of training you will consolidate what you’ve learned so far you will apply those skills in practical leadership exercises in a simulated combat environment. The themes of values-based behaviour and the development Officer Qualities are explored through the application of transformational leadership.

You will be challenged early, well supported and physically prepared. Outside of the classroom you will participate in physical training, adventure training and visit other Air Force bases to contextualise what you have learnt. Upon graduation, you will undertake specialist employment training or proceed direct to your workplace.

Follow the link for further details.

You will start your military flying career with the Pilot Basic Course at Number 1 Flying Training School (1FTS) at RAAF Base East Sale. The Pilot Basic Course has about 60 hours of flying and simulation. The flying disciplines on Pilot Basic Course include General Flying (GF), Instrument Flying (IF), Night Flying (NF) and an introduction to medium level visual Navigation (NAV). GF includes manoeuvres such as flying circuits, basic aerobatics, stalling and emergency handling. IF instruction covers basic instrument interpretation skills and flying instrument approaches. Ground training will also be conducted in Aerodynamics, Aircraft Systems, Airmanship, Air Power, Air Traffic Control, Aviation Medicine, Cockpit Systems, Meteorology, Morse Code, and Navigation.

Following Pilot Basic Courses you will be posted to Number 2 Flying Training School (2FTS) at RAAF Base Peace to undergo Pilot Intermediate Course. The Pilot Intermediate course is approximately 36 weeks duration with 135 hours of flying and simulation. Aside from developing the flying skills learnt on 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 award your Pilot Badge.

If you are streamed to go down the Fast Jet Pilot (FJP) pathway you will be required to complete the following courses:

• Introductory Fighter Course – type conversion and advanced flying training (6 months). Remaining at RAAF Base Pearce, you will undergo training on the Hawk Lead-in fighter at No. 79 Squadron.
• Introductory Fighter Course – tactical flying training (6 months). Once you have learnt the basics of flying the Hawk and operating at higher airspeeds, you will be posted to No. 76 Squadron at RAAF Base Williamtown to learn how to operate the Hawk in a tactical environment (air-to-air and air-to-ground). At the end of this course you will be selected for training on one of the following operational combat aircraft:
• F-35A Lightning II,
• F/A-18F Super Hornet, or
• EA-18G Growler.

Operational Conversion Courses (OPCONs) (6-11 months). At the end of the advanced courses you will be selected for operational conversion onto one of the following platforms:

• F-35A Lightning II (No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit). The 6-month OPCON for Lightning II is conducted at RAAF Base Williamtown (just outside of Newcastle).
• F/A-18F Super Hornet (No. 82 Wing Training Flight). The 6-month OPCON for Super Hornet is conducted at RAAF Base Amberley (just outside of Brisbane).
• EA-18G Growler (No. 6 Squadron). Growler OPCON training takes 11 months and is conducted in Washington State, USA by the US Navy, with bridging training on return to Australia conducted at RAAF Base Amberley (just outside of Brisbane).

Once you complete your OPCON, you will be a fully qualified FJP ready to contribute to the application of air power and the defence of Australia.