Naval Air Warfare Center

Aviation warfare research organization within Naval Air Systems Command of the United States Navy

Naval Air Warfare Center[1][2] is a research organization within Naval Air Systems Command to test and evaluate air warfare for the United States Navy. The center combines the following divisions:

## Aircraft division

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The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)[3] conducts research, development, test, evaluation and sustainment for all United States Navy and United States Marine Corps aircraft and aircraft systems. It operates a test wing and ranges,[4] facilities, laboratories[5] and aircraft in support of military operations worldwide.

NAWCAD employs military and civilian engineers, testers, scientists, and other professionals across four locations: Orlando, Florida; Lakehurst, New Jersey, St. Inigoes, Maryland and at its headquarters in Patuxent River, Maryland.[6][7] It is one of two naval air warfare centers, along with Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division,[8] that provides scientific[9] and technical support to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).[10]

### Naval Test Wing Atlantic

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Naval Test Wing Atlantic[11] is made up of four test and evaluation squadrons. Based in Patuxent River, Maryland, the wing supports test and evaluation of aviation systems ranging from unmanned to rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and subsystems. It also provides aircrew, aircraft assets, maintenance support, operational and safety oversight, process and facility support for developmental flight and ground testing.

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two One (HX-21) supports rotary-wing and tilt-rotor aircraft, unmanned aerial systems and airborne systems, including the V-22, UH-1Y, AH-1Z, CH-53K, MH-60R, and MH-60S.

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Zero (VX-20) supports C-2A, C-12M, C-38, E-2C/D, E 6B, C/KC-130J/T, MQ-4C, P-8A, and T-6A.

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) supports fixed wing tactical aircraft, including the F/A-18 A/B/C/D and E/F, EA-18, T-45, and F-35B/C.[12]

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Four (UX-24) is the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ first dedicated test and evaluation squadron for unmanned aircraft systems,[13] including fielded platforms like the Wasp, RQ-11 Raven, RQ-20B Puma, RQ-21 Blackjack, MQ-8 Fire Scout, and General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper.

### U.S. Naval Test Pilot School

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The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS)[14] trains military and civilian test pilots, flight officers and engineers in the test and evaluation of aircraft and aircraft systems. Located in Patuxent River, Maryland, it is the only U.S. source of rotary wing test pilots, and serves as the test pilot school for the U.S. Army.

USNTPS graduates two classes annually. The 11-month program includes 530 academic hours, 100 sorties and 120 flight hours. Its syllabus is divided into three parts: fixed-wing, rotary-wing and airborne systems. The school has also added test techniques for unmanned aviation systems.[15]

Its program has graduated over 90 NASA astronauts and members of the Original Seven including Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, Wally Schirra, and Alan Shepard. It also graduated NASA’s first African-American administrator, Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, NASA twins[16] Scott and Mark Kelly, and Vice Adm. James Stockdale.

### Atlantic Test Ranges

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The Atlantic Test Ranges[17][18] are instrumented test ranges providing support test and training for aircraft, aircrew and subsystems. The range features a telemetry center for real-time data transmission from up to nine separate in-flight aircraft to ground engineering personnel. The center manages over 2,700 square miles of restricted airspace including targets and airspace over the mid-Atlantic seaboard.

## Weapons division

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* NAWCWD China Lake
* NAWCWD Point Mugu

## See also

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* Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
* Naval Surface Warfare Center
* List of aerospace flight test centres

## References

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1. ^ "About Us". www.navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2016-04-11.
2. ^ "Welcome to the Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division". www.navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2009-07-21.
3. ^ "Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD)". www.cnic.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
4. ^ "AOPA Airports". www.aopa.org. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
5. ^ "Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) - Aircraft Division - Patuxent River | Federal Labs". www.federallabs.org. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
6. ^ "Naval Air Station Patuxent River". www.cnic.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
7. ^ "About Us". St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
8. ^ "Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division". www.cnic.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
9. ^ "Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division | TechLink". TechLink Center. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
10. ^ "Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)". www.cnic.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
11. ^ "Naval Test Wing Atlantic". www.navair.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
12. ^ "Naval Aircraft Testing Likely Caused Sonic Booms". ABC News. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
13. ^ Affairs, This story was written by Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Public. "U.S. Navy Holds Ceremony to mark First Dedicated UAS Test Squadron". www.navy.mil. Archived from the original on October 22, 2018. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
14. ^ "United States Naval Test Pilot School". www.navair.navy.mil. Retrieved 2019-07-10.
15. ^ "Naval Test Pilot School Adds New Focus on Unmanned Aircraft". USNI News. 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
16. ^ Mars, Kelli (2018-09-28). "NASA's Twins Study Results Published in Science Journal". NASA. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
17. ^ U.S. Navy. "ATLANTIC TEST RANGES : MARYLAND WITH NAS PATUXENT RIVER" (PDF). Readiness and Environmental Protection and Integration [REPI] Program Project Profile.
18. ^ "Atlantic Test Ranges". www.navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-10.

## External links

[edit]

* Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division official website

* v
* t
* e

Federal research and development agencies of the United States (list)

Independent
agencies|

* National Science Foundation (NSF)
* National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
* Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development
* Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)
* Smithsonian Institution research centers and programs

Agriculture|

* Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
* National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
* Economic Research Service (ERS)
* United States Forest Service Research and Development (R&D)

Commerce|

* National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Defense|

| Army|

* Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDCOM)
* Army Research Laboratory (ARL)
* Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDCSC)
* CCDC Armaments Center (CCDCAC)
* Picatinny Arsenal
* Benét Laboratories
* Watervliet Arsenal
* Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC)
* United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC)
* Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)

|

Marine Corps|

* Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC)
* Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL)
* Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity (MCOTEA)

Navy|

* Office of Naval Research (ONR)
* Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
* Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC)
* Naval Warfare Centers
* Air (NAWC)
* Surface (NSWC)
* Undersea (NUWC)
* Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance (NCCOSC)
* Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS)
* Naval Postgraduate School (NPS)
* Operational Test and Evaluation Force (OPTEVFOR)

Air Force|

* Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)
* Air Armament Center (AAC)
* Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
* Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC)
* Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (NWC)
* Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)
* Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC)

Space Force|

* Space Systems Command (SSC)

Other|

* Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
* Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

Education|

* Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
* National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

Energy|

* Office of Science (DOE SC)
* Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E)
* National Laboratories

Health and
Human Services|

* National Institutes of Health (NIH)
* National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
* Food and Drug Administration science and research programs
* Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
* Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
* Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)
* Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

Homeland Security|

* Science and Technology Directorate (S&T)
* Coast Guard Research and Development Center  (CG RDC)

Interior|

* United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Justice|

* National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
* FBI Science and Technology Branch

Transportation|

* Research and Innovative Technology Administration
* Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering, and Development
* Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology

Treasury|

* Office of Financial Research (OFR)

Veterans Affairs|

* Veterans Health Administration Office of Research and Development (ORD)

Executive Office
of the President|

* Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
* U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)
* Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program (NITRD)
* National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)

Legislative branch|

* House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
* Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
* Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) (defunct)

Judicial branch|

* Federal Judicial Center

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