Free Republic

“NAWS China Lake is not mission capable until further notice; however, security protocols remain in effect,” the station said. “Safety of personnel is currently the highest priority.” Non-essential employees and their dependents were told to evacuate the station, according to a Facebook post. Essential employees still have access to the station.

The Pentagon has carried out what it is calling one of its most significant tests of autonomous systems under development by the Department of Defense with the demonstration of the world’s largest micro-drone swarms at China Lake, California.

New laser weaponry being developed at Boeing has dealt a telling blow to airborne aircraft -- all of them unmanned -- in successful tests that take military laser technology a few steps closer to assuming a key role in future conflicts. Laser weapons are seen by industry analysts as a major step toward a more effective -- and more cost-effective -- deterrent to enemy threats from the air. Laser weapons can be fired at enemy targets without any apparent risk to human crews involved. However, most defense laser technologies are still many stages behind fictional depictions of laser weapons in...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Nov. 18, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] in May demonstrated the ability of mobile laser weapon systems to perform a unique mission: track and destroy small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). During the U.S. Air Force-sponsored tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, Calif., the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX), which was developed by Boeing under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory, used a single, high-brightness laser beam to shoot down five UAVs at various ranges. Laser Avenger, a Boeing-funded initiative, also shot down a UAV. Representatives of the...

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, CaliforniaThe 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...

CHINA LAKE, Calif. -- The U.S. Navy has confirmed that two of its Super Hornet jets collided in mid-air Monday during a training mission near the China Lake Naval Weapons Center...

ORLANDO, FL, May 26, 2005 -- Responding to an urgent request from warfighters, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] expanded the capabilities of its Predator anti-tank weapon and delivered 400 rounds to the U.S. Marine Corps. The U.S. Marine Corps requested Lockheed Martin to modify the shoulder-fired, short-range Predator anti-tank weapon into a direct-attack urban assault weapon. Renamed the Short-Range Assault Weapon-Multiple Purpose Variant (SRAW-MPV), the new urban assault missile has a multiple-purpose blast warhead, enabling it to defeat a variety of targets such as buildings and bunkers, as well as light-armored vehicles. “The ability of the SRAW team to field the...

ARCHBALD, PA, May 5, 2005 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] successfully tested Dual Mode Guided Bombs (DMGB) at the U.S. Navy’s China Lake test range. The weapons were released from Navy aircraft and maneuvered through controlled flight and target impact as planned, achieving mission success. The new Lockheed Martin DMGB gives warfighters the versatility of selecting the ideal guidance mode for specific targets without multiple weapons in inventory. This capability was previously only available on very expensive precision guided weapons. “The DMGB brings the warfighter high accuracy and versatility at an unprecedented low price,” said Cynthia Sailar, vice president and...

WASHINGTON - Congress on Tuesday gave final approval to nearly $40 million to fund projects for Edwards Air Force Base and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. The funding was included in the conference report for the Military Construction Appropriations Act for 2004. "The nation's most advanced weapons systems and aircraft are developed and tested at Edwards and China Lake," said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield. "Having modern facilities and infrastructure at both bases is absolutely essential. Some of the buildings these funds will help replace were built in the 1950s. "The use of half-century-old buildings to prepare for modern warfare...