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~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 |