China Lake Naval Weapons Center

The vision of the China Lake Naval Weapons Center in Ridgecrest, California is to give confidence by delivering, sustaining and developing systems and weapons for Marines and Sailors to enable them to return home from every mission. The facility is in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The facility is almost three hours from the city of Los Angeles to the north and a short drive to the beautiful country of Southern California. The NAWS (Naval Air Weapons Station) hosts the China Lake Weapons Division. California Institute of Technology's Dr. Charles C. Lauritsen and Jack Renard, a navy commander found the location during a 1943 summer flight over the Mojave Desert.

The two were looking for an area to test missiles for the Navy. The Naval Ordnance Test Station was established when the remote destination was decided upon. There are a number of recreational outdoor activities at China Lake that include sailing, hiking, fishing, hunting, white water rafting and sailing.

The facility is only a few minutes away from Ridgecrest, California which is Kern County's third largest city and offers a number of amenities. The area around the China Lake Naval Weapons Center offers affordable housing, a community college, school district and meets shopping needs.