Dr. John Burrow gets behind the wheel of a driverless Ford F-350 truck with software integrated by the Applied Manufacturing Technology Department at NAWCWD China Lake, 05 January 2015. The department helps modify the trucks to pull targets during weapons testing. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Jay Kovar, left, explains the types of tests run through a High-Velocity Airflow System at NAWCWD China Lake to Dr. John Burrow. Behind them, nine silos can fire off enough rocket power to simulate realistic flight speeds without having to spend extra funds on live-fire or wind tunnel testing. China Lake, 07 January 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

James Bell and Deidre Patin stand next to an unmanned aerial vehicle RQ-21A Integrator at NAWCWD China Lake, CA. A presidential executive order led to the two participating in preliminary discussions with South African officials about new approaches to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking. 08 January 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

HSM-49 Scorpions CAG bird MH-60R Seahawk BuNo 168101, TX-100, provides the backdrop for Cdr. Brian Sinclair, left, and a group of more than 20 DoD civilians who represented departments across NAWCWD China Lake and Point Mugu during a visit with HSM-49. NAS North Island, 28 January 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo by Theresa Goldstrand.

Jonathon Pooley, a technician at NAWCWD China Lake, displays a 25-inch, 5.5-pound forward-firing miniature munition known as Spike. 03 February 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

China Lake Innovation Challenge winners propose developing an expendable aerial vehicle, similar to the ones they are holding, that could increase battlefield intelligence. Team members are, from left, Scott Slaughter, Derek Hamel, Chase York, Vincent Schuetz and team mentor Jonathon Duncan. Team leader Nicholas Albrecht and Pavel Rybakov were traveling on temporary duty. China Lake, 04 February 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Engineering technicians Eugene Woods, left, and Chad Carrasco tighten bolts on a high-temperature burner at the T-Range at NAWCWD China Lake, CA 25 February 2015. These burners are capable of replicating Mach 4 conditions at sea level and help test missile subcomponents, solid fuel ramjet engines, liquid rocket engines and full-scale tactical missile rocket to air-breathing engine transition testing. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Construction workers watch as a crane lowers a new 1,000 cubic foot high-pressure air vessel into place March 15, 2015 at the air-breathing propulsion test facility, or T-Range, NAWCWD China Lake. Official U.S. Navy photo.

USAF Col. Chris Coombs of the KC-46 Pegasus Program Office, center, convenes with other program officials April 7, 2012 to inspect the test article in preparation for the weapons survivability test at NAWCWD Weapons Survivability Laboratory, China Lake, CA. Behind them, a live warhead detonated inside the KC-46’s left pylon after passing through the metal ring, which triggered the warhead’s detonator. From left to right are: Jeff Wuich, KC-46 Program Office, Scott Wacker, KC-46 Program Office, 1st Lt. Kerollos Marzouk, KC-46 Program Office, Ron Schiller, head, WSL Engineering Section, Coombs, Bill Franklin, KC-46 Program Office, Lt. Col. Pete Sandness, KC-46 Program Office and Jay Kovar, branch head, WSL. Official U.S. Navy photo.

At 100,000 frames per second, this high-speed still captures the Live Fire Test and Evaluation (LFT&E) missile en route to the KC-46 Pegasus tanker at the NAWCWD’s Weapons Survivability Laboratory on April 7, 2015. The LFT&E missile is the first of its kind. The KC-46 program office requested the warhead be custom-designed by the Weapons Division to evaluate the highest threat scenario possible. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Overview of the KC-46A Pegasus test at the Weapons Survivability Lab, China Lake, CA, 15 April 2015. On the left, the large, white High-Velocity Airflow System fired its nine jet engines to simulate realistic flying conditions for the mock KC-46 refueling tanker, seen on the far right. The cannon, pictured in the center, fired a live warhead into a critical position, the aircraft’s left pylon. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Electronics technician, Erik van Bronkhorst, left, and mathematician Spencer Hall run power diagnostics on a Portable Geospatial Product Library (PGPL) April 15, 2015 at NAWCWD China Lake, CA. In a turnaround period of two months, the two conceived, designed, procured and constructed the first PGPL prototype as a cost-effective solution for targeteers aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. Photo by Leroy Doig, III.

VX-9 Vampires F/A-18C Hornet BuNo 165225, XE-303, is launched from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), 29 April 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chase C. Lacombe.

MCPON Mike Stevens speaks with Seabees during his visit to NAWS China Lake, CA, 28 August 2015. This visit marks Stevens’ first time in China Lake, and is part of a two-week visit to various commands in the Navy’s Southwest Region. Photo by MC1 Martin L. Carey.

VX-9 Vampires F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166980, XE-222, Williams-Gateway airport, 14 May 2015. Photo by Jack McGorray.

VX-9 Vampires F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166980, XE-222, Williams-Gateway airport, 14 May 2015. Photo by Jack McGorray.

NAWCWD China Lake employees take a group photo in front of a VMFAT-101 Sharpshooters F/A-18D Hornet BuNo 164272, SH-274, at Marine Air Logistics Squadron 11 (MALS-11,) 09 June 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Capt. Dana Dewey, left, joins NAWCWD F-35 Lightning project team members at China Lake August 5, 2015 before an informal meeting where they shared their experiences and stories with the F-35 director of program control. Official U.S. Navy photo.

RAdm. Mike Moran, NAWCWD China Lake commander, addresses about 50 members of the Regional Defense Partnership for the 21st Century at its monthly meeting at the Hall of Justice in Ventura, CA, 07 October 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

Royal Air Force Airbus KC2 Voyager (A330-243MRTT) Air Tanker s/n ZZ330 departing RAF Brize Norton as Ascot 9270 dragging three GR4 Tornados (Callsigns APOLLO) to Wright Patterson after an overnight stay in Gander, Nfld and then to NAWCWD China Lake, 11 October 2015.

Applied Manufacturing Technology Division Head Ken Hayes explains the current and potential use of NAWCWD China Lake’s additive technology (3-D printing) capability to naval attachés on October 27, 2015. Official U.S. Navy photo.

RAdm. Mike Moran gives his thanks to the NAWCWD China Lake workforce as he makes a final address as commander on October 29, 2015. Moran will report to Patuxent River, MD and assume duties as the program executive officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs. Official U.S. Navy photo by Mark Pahuta.

VX-31 Vampires F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166968, DD-225, carries the new Harpoon Block II+ missile during a free flight test November 18, 2015 at Point Mugu's Sea Range. The Navy plans to deliver the Block II+ variant to the fleet in 2017. Official U.S. Navy photo.

A Navy AV-8B Harrier demonstrated its ability to control a UTAP-22 Gremlins “wolf pack” over a series of test flights at the China Lake test range, November 23, 2015. The high-performance combat drones will serve as “loyal wingmen” for manned fighters and bombers, cooperatively supporting missions fully or semi autonomously.