Navy Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT): Definitive Guide (2025)

This guide provides helpful information for those looking to join the Navy as an Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT) during the Fiscal Year 2025.

In June 2023, the U.S. Navy introduced the Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT) rating, replacing the Cryptologic Technician Networks (CTN) rating.

This shift was driven by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of December 2022, requiring a dedicated cyber warfare rating for enlisted personnel.

The goal? Strengthen the Navy’s cyber capabilities in an increasingly contested digital battlefield.

ENLISTMENT BONUS: Future Navy CWTs are currently eligible to receive up to $5K in cash bonus just for signing up.

What Cyber Warfare Technicians Do

CWTs play a critical role in offensive and defensive cyber operations, ensuring the Navy dominates in cyberspace. Their core missions include:

• Threat Analysis & Digital Forensics – Detecting, analyzing, and neutralizing cyber threats.
• Network Exploitation & Cyber Defense – Securing networks and protecting critical infrastructure.
• Mission Planning & Direct Support – Assisting with tactical and strategic cyber missions.
• Research & Development – Creating new tools and strategies to counter emerging cyber threats.

CWTs operate in Fleet Cyber Command, Cyber Command, and U.S. 10th Fleet, working alongside U.S. Cyber Command, Marine Corps, and Air Force personnel. Their responsibilities ensure the U.S. military maintains superiority in cyber conflicts.

Specific CWT Roles

Access Network Operator

Access Network Operators perform local and close-access expeditionary cyberspace operations as assigned in support of Special Operations Forces (SOF), Fleet, National, and Joint mission-sets and operationally leverages full-spectrum cyberspace capabilities from maritime, air, and ground domains.

Cyber Defense Analyst

Cyberspace Defense Analysts collect, analyze and utilize host and/or network data in order to identify possible malicious activity and mitigate threats.
View less

Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst

Cyberspace Defense Forensics Analysts collect and analyze digital artifacts and investigate events to identify adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures in order to inform threat mitigation efforts.
View less

Cyber Exploitation Analyst

Cyberspace Exploitation Analysts identify and assess vulnerabilities in targeted networks to facilitate the collection of critical information. They execute tactics to establish and maintain accesses for current and future operations.
View less

Cyber Operations Planner

Cyberspace Operations Planners provide analytical support to the planning process derived from current capabilities, tool sets, and established accesses to meet Commander’s intent and ensure objectives are achieved. They participate in targeting selection, validation, and synchronization during the execution of cyber actions.
View less

Is the CWT Rating a Good Job in the Navy?

This role is all about defending national security in the digital battlefield. CWTs handle both attack and defense, using high-tech tools to track, block, and take down cyber threats worldwide.

Who Thrives in This Role?

• Those who love cybersecurity and IT.
• Anyone looking for elite training in cyber ops and digital forensics.
• People who want to work in high-security, cutting-edge environments.
• Candidates eager to earn industry certifications and a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Those who want a career packed with technical challenges and real-world impact.

Who Might Struggle?

• Sailors who want a traditional, sea-based Navy experience—CWTs mostly work on land.
• Anyone uncomfortable with intensive background checks for high-level security clearances.
• Those looking for a predictable 9-to-5 schedule—cyber threats don’t keep office hours.
• People unwilling to constantly learn and adapt in a fast-changing cyber landscape.

If cybersecurity is your passion and you want to serve your country in a high-tech, high-stakes role, this could be a perfect fit. But it’s not for everyone—know what you’re signing up for.

Rank Structure

Salary and Benefits

Salary for the First 6 Years

Monthly pay for Navy enlisted Sailors (E-1 to E-6) in the first six years is laid out in the January  2025 Active Duty Pay chart:

Extra Pays and Allowances

• Housing Allowance (BAH): For members living off-base. Covers rent, based on rank, location, and if they have dependents.
• Subsistence Allowance (BAS): Enlisted get $465.77 monthly for food.
• Uniform Allowance: Enlisted members get money to cover required uniforms: once upon entry, and annually thereafter.
• Hazard Duty Pay: For dangerous jobs. Pays $150-$250 per month, depending on the job.
• Sea Pay: For those assigned to ships or deployed units. Depends on rank and time at sea, from $50 to $750 a month.
• Special and Incentive Pays: Bonuses for certain roles, like air traffic control or unique skills. These can be a few hundred to thousands per year.

Source: Figures are from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Benefits

• Enlistment Bonus: $5,000 just for signing up.
• Healthcare: Active-duty personnel are eligible for free complete medical and dental treatment. Tricare programs are inexpensive for families to use.
• Housing Accomodation: Depending on location, rank, and family size, free on-base accommodation or a tax-free housing allowance (BAH) for off-base living are available.
• Food: Monthly Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) for food costs is known as the “food allowance.”
• Blended Retirement System (BRS): Conventional pensions are no longer available to active-duty personnel. Rather:
• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): Up to 5% in government matching and automatic contributions.
• Retirement Pay: After 20 years of service, you’re eligible for monthly payments according on the BRS formula, which combines TSP savings with a calculated pension.
• Education:
  • Availability of tuition assistance programs that pay for all or part of college tuition.
  • Support for higher education under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
  • Navy College Program to support education while on service.
• Life Insurance: Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides coverage up to $500,000.
• Vacation: 10 or more federal holidays plus thirty days of paid vacation each year.
• Extra Benefits:
  • Exchanges and commissaries provide tax-free purchasing.
  • Discounted travel via military resorts, access to fitness centers, and leisure amenities.

Training & Career Path

CWTs go through rigorous training to prepare for their missions:

• Class “A” School (26 weeks, Pensacola, FL) – Covers network architecture, cryptography, and shipboard networks.
• Class “C” School (7 weeks, Pensacola, FL) – Focuses on advanced cyber defense and offensive techniques.
• Naval Information Warfighting Development Center (NIWDC) Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) Program – Elite training for top CWTs to refine cyber teams and strategy.

CWTs must hold a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance and may require a Counter-Intelligence Polygraph before deployment.

Qualifications

ASVAB Requirements: There are three ways to qualify for CWT:

• AR + 2MK + GS ≥ 255; or
• VE + AR + MK + MC ≥ 235; or
• CT + MK + VE ≥ 173 and CT ≥ 60

Note: (Cyber Test (CT) requirement applies to new accession Sailors entering service after September 30, 2016)

Additional Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Immediate family members must be U.S. citizens or from an ICD 704 low-risk country
• Moral turpitude offenses are generally disqualifying
• Personal security screening interview required, conducted by a Naval Cyber Forces Command special security representative
• Former Peace Corps members are not eligible
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED, CPT, home study, or other recognized equivalency)

Career Opportunities & Special Assignments

CWTs serve in a wide range of duty stations, including shore-based commands, fleet units, and elite cyber teams. Key assignments include:

• Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) – Cyber defense headquarters, Suffolk, VA.
• Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group (NCWDG) – Cyber innovation hub.
• DEVGRU & Special Reconnaissance Teams (SRTs) – Supporting special operations with cyber expertise.
• Cyber Mission Forces & Cyber Protection Teams – National cyber defense operators.
• White House Communications Agency (WHCA) & Joint Cyber Operations Group (JCOG) – Prestigious assignments for elite CWTs.
• U.S. Navy Fort Meade – Cyber policy and innovation initiatives.

Advancement & Leadership Development

CWTs have a clear path for career growth through specialization and leadership roles:

• Mission Director (USCC J38) – Leads critical cyber warfare missions.
• Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) – Trains Cyber Warfare Officers.
• Cyber Defense Watch Officer (DCO BWC) – Oversees real-time cyber operations.

Elite programs include:

• Secretary of the Navy Tours with Industry (SNTWI) – Private sector tech immersion.
• Masters of Science in Applied Cyberspace Operations (MACO) – Advanced cyber warfare training.
• Computer Network Operations Development Program (CNODP) – Specializing in offensive and defensive cyber operations.

A Future-Proof Career in Cyber Warfare

As cyber threats evolve rapidly, CWTs are at the front lines of national defense. The transition from CTN to CWT signals a broader shift in Department of Defense strategy—one that prioritizes cyber expertise, automation, and strategic capabilities.

For those looking to shape the future of cybersecurity, a career as a CWT offers unmatched opportunities in STEM, national defense, and cyber warfare innovation.

Explore U.S. Fleet Cyber Command resources for training schedules, scholarships, and advanced cyber programs.

Officer Candidate School and Cryptologic Warfare Officer paths also offer routes into leadership roles in military cyber operations.

The Navy’s cyber force is growing—and CWTs will be leading the charge.

More Information

If you wish to learn more about becoming an Cyber Warfare Technician (CWT), contact your local Navy Enlisted Recruiter. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online.

You may also be interested in the following related Navy Enlisted jobs in Intelligence and Information Warfare:

• Intelligence Specialist (IS)
• Cryptologic Technician – Technical (CTT)