Fitter Armament

Fitter Armament is the Army's equivalent of a Fitter and Turner. The Fitter Armament provides maintenance engineering, material maintenance and modification to a large range of in-service Army equipment. The ability to perform machining tasks and work on small engines such as chainsaws, pumps and watercraft are conducted. The Fitter Armament is also responsible to maintain a wide range of Army weapons ranging from a pistol to the armament on an Abrams Tank.



Duties


  • Servicing, repairing, modifying and rebuilding of in-service military weapons and associated weapon sub-assemblies and components.
  • Providing general engineering, reclamation, fabrication of equipment and small engine-driven equipment maintenance and repair.
  • Locating and applying technical information.
  • Operating general workshop equipment (including lifting devices) and specialist test equipment.
  • Providing technical advice.
  • Inspection and classification of equipment.

Educational Requirement

Completion of Australian Year 10 education (or equivalent) with passes in English, Mathematics, Science and one other subject.

These entry qualifications are the minimum required to facilitate understanding of the engineering principles encountered during later phases of training.

Note: Australian Year 10 or less for Consumer Mathematics, Mathematics in Society and similarly 'modified' Mathematics are not suitable for entry to the Army Technical and Trade Scheme.


Employment Training

Qualified Trade Entry:

Completion, in the relevant Fitter and Armament/Turner trade, of an approved apprenticeship or an approved traineeship at a recognised training institution and any period of full-time employment stipulated for that trade. A certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical will provide suitable evidence for entry into this stream.


Unqualified Trade Entry:

Initial Trade Training (ITT) Fitter and Armament Course: 18 months.

Fitter Armament Maintenance Techniques Course: 20 days.

On-the-Job (OJT) training: 12 months.

Initial trade training is conducted at the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, which is located within the Army Logistic Training Centre (ALTC), Bonegilla, Victoria. This training is blended learning that incorporates lockstep and self paced techniques. Training includes general machining and fitting skills, welding, sheet metal and metal fabrication and the repair of small engines, pumps and hydraulic systems, as well as the repair of Army in-service small arms weapons. At the completion of the residential phase, the trainees undertake a 20 day Fitter Armament Maintenance Techniques Course prior to leaving ALTC. The training is expected to take up to18 months to complete.

This training is followed by a one year posting to an ALTC detachment location in Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville or Darwin in order to complete OJT. On completion of OJT the soldier is posted to a unit as a qualified Fitter Armament and is able to attend specialist trade courses.


Recognition For Trade Qualified Entry:

Applicants that already possess a Fitter Turner trade will be informed of their employment training requirements once ALTC has mapped their trade qualifications and identified the Army specific competencies or any identified shortfalls that are required.

Specialist Trade Training:

After the competition of OJT the Fitter Armament may be nominated to attend further Specialist Trade Training. This training will depend on unit requirements and available course positions. The Specialist Trade courses are as follows:

  • Abrams Tank Armament Maintenance.
  • ASLAV Phase III Turret/Armament Maintenance.
  • Field Artillery (Hamel) Maintenance.
  • Launcher Grenade Mk 19 Maintenance.
  • M113AS4 Turret Maintenance.
  • M134D 7.62mm Minigun Maintenance.
  • Maintain 12.7 mm Quick Change Barrel Machine Gun.
  • Marine Equipment Maintenance.
  • Medium Artillery (M198) Maintenance.
  • Ordnance Examiner.
  • Special Operations Weapons Maintenance.
  • Support Weapons Maintenance.
  • Watercraft Maintenance Techniques.

Employment Location

Postings range from large Combat Service Support Battalions (CSSB) located in Brisbane, Darwin and Townsville to small technical support platoons and squadrons located throughout Australia.


Pay

The pay levels for ARA and ARES members in this employment are:

  • Fitter Armament Grade 1 CFN Pay Group 3.
  • Fitter Armament Grade 2 CFN Pay Group 3.
  • Fitter Armament Grade 3 CFN Pay Group 4.
  • Fitter Armament Grade 4 CFN Pay Group 4.
  • Fitter Armament Specialist CFN Pay Group 5.
  • Fitter Armament Advanced Grade 1 CPL Pay Group 4.
  • Fitter Armament Advanced Grade 2 CPL Pay Group 5.
  • Fitter Armament Supervisor Grade 1 SGT Pay Group 4.
  • Fitter Armament Supervisor Grade 2 SGT Pay Group 5.

Civil Accreditation

On successful completion of employment training and the OJT program, trainees are awarded:

  • Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade.
  • Certificate IV in Engineering.