Heritage:
NAF Chronology:
- April 1943 The Hedron 14 Experimental Unit, a special aircraft ordnance
group, was formed in San Diego to support the rocket test work of the
California Institute of Technology.
- December 1943 Aviation Ordnance Development Unit No. 1 (AODU-1)
was commissioned under the cognizance of Commander Fleet Air, West Coast.
- 02 January 1944 The first contingent of AODU-1 personnel arrived
at Inyokern.
- February 1944 Carrier Aircraft Service Unit No. 53 (CASU-53) was
assigned to NOTS.
- 10 May 1944 Aviation Facilities at Inyokern were established by
the Secretary of the Navy as the U.S. Navy Air Facility, Inyokern, CA,
and the name Harvey Field was officially adopted.
- 05 June 1944 AODU-1 was officially moved to NOTS.
- 28 June 1944 The ceremony naming the NOTS airfield in honor of the
late LCdr Warren W. Harvey, aviation tactician and aircraft ordnance
expert was held.
- 15 May 1945 The Naval Air Facility was moved to China Lake, CA.
- 30 May 1945 the new airfield was named Armitage Field in honor of
LT John M. Armitage.
- 02 June 1945 The first project flight was flown from Armitage Field.
- 29 April 1947 Placed as a separate command under the military command
and coordination of the CO of NOTS and under the management control
of BuOrd.
- 05 May 1947 Armitage Field was commissioned under the official title
of U.S. Naval Air Facility, U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station, Inyokern,
CA.
- May 1954 A target drone unit was officially established as a permanent
part of NAF.
- 26 July 1955 In a title change reflective of its actual physical
location, NAF was officially redesignated U.S. Naval Air Facility, China
Lake, CA.
- 01 July 1961 The administration and support of the Auxiliary Landing
Field, San Clemente Island, were assigned to the NAF CO.
- 01 December 1976 Naval Air Facility, China Lake, CA, was disestablished
after more than 30 years as a separate command, and became part of the
Naval Weapons Center; the mission, functions, and organization of the
NAF are incorporated essentially unchanged into the new Aircraft Department
of the NWC Test and Evaluation Directorate.
- 08 May 1995 The Aircraft Department is disestablished and its personnel
and functions incorporated into the newly created Naval Weapons Test
Squadron (NWTS) China Lake, part of Test Wing Pacific of NAWCWPNS; the
snake-wielding “dust devil” is adopted as mascot (although never officially
approved).
- 01 May 2002 NWTSCL was redesignated Air Test and Evaluation Squadron
Three One (VX-31).
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Commanding Officers:
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Events:
| Inclusive Dates: |
Event |
7 June 1963
|
JFK ordnance demo |
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Awards:
| Inclusive Dates: |
Award |
No info
|
|
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|
