Navair Careers

Home > Our Careers > Divisions & Centers > NAWCWD

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER WEAPONS DIVISION (NAWCWD)

The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) is focused on weapons development for the Navy. NAWCWD has two locations in Southern California: China Lake (hosting the land test range and weapons development lab) and Point Mugu (hosting the sea test range). Dedicated to maintaining an excellence in weapons development, we employ engineers, scientists and much more. NAWCWD has played a significant research, development, test and evaluation role in every U.S. military crisis since World War II. We provide direct fleet support at home, at sea and abroad, providing hands-on assistance, maintenance and training. The clear weather for testing, dynamic work force, innovative management, enormous ranges and dedication to the evolution of modern weapons make China Lake and Point Mugu indispensible to the protection of our nation.

A Few NAWCWD Firsts:

First air-to-air guided missile ever used in combat (Sidewinder)
X-ray video system to see inside rocket motors while firing
Development and test of concept for the Polaris missile
U.S. precision-guided air-to-surface weapon (Walleye)
U.S. manned submersible to descend 2,000 feet
Technology to photograph the back side of the moon
Mars and Lunar Landings (subsystem RDT&E)
Non-nuclear components of atomic bombs
Reprogrammable self-protection jammer
Successful antiradar missile (Shrike)
Real-time night display of targets
U.S. satellite launch (NOTSNIK)
Plastic-bonded explosives
U.S. aircraft rockets

NAWCWD is also an active participant in Technology Transfer, working with other organizations and educational institutions to develop other technologies with our discoveries. A few of these types of innovations include: