FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, California ~ 25 JAN 2011

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | laurenmarlowe

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, California

The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division (NAWCWD) is an organization within the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), dedicated to maintaining a center of excellence in weapons development for the Department of the Navy (DoN). NAWCWD has two locations in Southern California; China Lake hosting the land test range and Point Mugu hosting the sea test range.

Nestled in the quiet Indian Wells Valley at the south eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, China Lake is the premier land range and weapons development laboratory for the Department of the Navy.

The Indian Wells Valley is south of two prominent geologic extremes in the continental United States, Mount Whitney, the highest point (14,497 ft. above sea level) and Badwater, the lowest point (282 ft. below sea level). The area was once also home to the Native American Coso People, whose presence here is marked by thousands of archaeological sites; the Coso traded with other tribes as far away as San Luis Obispo County, California.

 This locale was also a site used by European miners and settlers whose cabins and mining structures are extant throughout the Station. Among the notable archaeological sites is the National Park Service's Coso Rock Art District, an area of some 99 square miles which contains more than 20,000 documented petroglyphs.

China Lake is steeped in Naval History. In the summer of 1943 Dr. Charles C. Lauritsen of the California Institute of Technology, and Navy Commander Jack Renard, flew a small plane over the vast Mojave Desert in search of the perfect remote location to establish a "shooting range" for testing Navy missiles.

They eventually spotted a small two-way landing strip in Inyokern. The site was extremely remote, but not too far removed from Cal Tech's Pasadena base. Shortly afterwards, the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) was born.

Inventions tested and refined at China Lake include the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, the AGM-62 Walleye TV-guided glide bomb, the AGM-45 Shrike antiradar missile, the AIM-95 Agile missile, the AGM-122 Sidearm antiradar missile, the AGM-123 Skipper II laser-guided missile, the lightstick, and the continuous-rod warhead.

Learn More About The History Of China Lake HERE!

While service to the Fleet underlies every program at NAWCWD, direct support is the most important activity at China Lake. NAWCWD Fleet Weapons Support Teams are with naval forces throughout the world providing hands-on assistance. Division senior scientists and engineers serve in 1- to 3-year assignments as on-site Science and Technology Advisors stateside, at sea, and abroad.

 New operational flight programs and weapons capabilities are taken directly to Fleet squadrons by NAWCWD teams who train aircrews and maintenance personnel aboard ship.

In times of conflict, the Division's Land, Sea, and Electronic Combat Ranges are made available to the Fleet for training, and development of urgently needed new weapons and electronic combat equipment is fast tracked. Prototype systems (such as the NAWCWD-developed Rapid Targeting System) are taken directly into world hot spots by Division teams to provide additional capabilities for the DOD warfighters.

Learn More About Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake HERE!

The U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology joins only 11 others across the country in telling the story of the U.S. Navy in peace and war. The museum is a place to learn about the Navy’s precision-guided weapons essential to our nation’s defense. Visitors also learn the story of China Lake — the “secret city” that for more than 60 years has developed, tested, and evaluated many of these weapons.

Located in China Lake, the museum at China Lake, "The U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology" is full of intriguing technology and fascinating history that introduces visitors to the numerous contributions China Lake and the Navy have made to the defense of the nation.

Visit The U.S. Naval Museum Of Armament And Technology HERE!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Home safe and sound....temps in the mid 20s. Staying there the rest of the winter would suit me just fine. (But it will never happen.) Possibility of some snow everyday this week.

You did have a busy day.

[HiJinx]

Hugs right backatchya, Taz!
One of these days...
Here’s hoping your Jr. Lien-holder comes to his senses sooner rather than later. He’s not making any money by holding up the process.

[TASMANIANRED]

Glad you made it in safely.

[HiJinx]

No kidding? Piper wants to be a fashion designer. She already has 14 or 15 dresses in her portfolio.

[luvie]

Did she EVER get a sugar rush...but doggone, it was her
birthday and if she wanted to help herself, who was Grammie
to stop her! :)

She, as well as Mommy, Grammie and Great-gramma were toast
by bedtime! LOL! All those little kids on sugar rushes plus
their mommies trying to coral them! Whew! We all crashed...
plus Grammie had a huge headache. LOL!

It was a good day.

[luvie]

I have no doubt that your Piper will be whatever she wants to be! :)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Aloha, Hawaii...((HUGS))...did the sun shine today? How’s the umbrella holding up?

[TASMANIANRED]

I don’t know if it is deliberate or incompetence.

[TASMANIANRED]

I can just imagine..

I bet you guys were worn to a frazzle.

[luvie]

We all slept really good that night! :)...plus all had naps
the next day. Especially Piper!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hi, hi, Perky...((HUGS))...still sunny and dry? 15 days!

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Night Owl!

A sun shiny day all day today. Sometimes that happens and everyone is happy....but if it goes on for a week or more, Civil Defense will declare a drought.

[Winstons Julia]

I have a family member who served twice in Iraq and both times this family member did not think they would make it home.

This family member is suffering now.

Serving can take a toll. And while we try to help, sometimes... we just can’t understand what a person went through.

I pray that others aren’t suffering...there is not a lot we are able to do to help our family member.

There is a cost. When a person cannot drive in traffic because they did convoys in a war zone and there was bombing.

And hugs and love and spoiling can’t help my loved one.

And my loved one will not let anyone help.

All we can do is provide love unconditionally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsCp5LG_zNE

[SandRat]

Time to sit in front of a warm fireplace and relax for you.

[left that other site]

you HAVE had a rough Monday!

(sigh)

[left that other site]

I do indeed.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Great pictures, Pro...((HUGS))...are you ready for the Super Bowl?

[HiJinx]

All we can do is provide love unconditionally.
Amen...

[PROCON]

Evening Ma!! (((HUGS)))

Yeah, the Superbowl has become more of a socializing event with friends than a must-see game, but I'm looking forward to it, should be a good game!

Sunny and 60ish here in Oregon, you jealous?..:=)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please join us any time as we honor and entertain our troops and veterans. We have a new thread every day, and each Monday night/Tuesday we take a road trip.