McLean Lab opens at NAWCWD

More than 450 people attend the ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 8 for the Dr. William B. McLean Laboratory at NAWCWD China Lake. Photo by Mike Hunsinger.

Rear Adm. Mat Winter, NAWCWD commander, explains how the new Dr. William B. McLean Laboratory will help the command execute its mission to provide full-spectrum weapons and warfare systems research, development, acquisition, and test and evaluation. Photo by Mike Johnson.

Ruth Hogan, head of the Weapons and Armaments Implementation Team, recognizes those who supported and continue to work the BRAC 2005 implementation efforts at NAWCWD during the ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 8 for the Dr. William B. McLean Laboratory. Photo by Mike Hunsinger.

Mark McLean, son of Dr. William B. McLean, is joined by his wife, Meredith, as he officially opens the laboratory at NAWCWD that's named after his father. Watching over the ribbon-cutting is Scott O'Neil, acting deputy commander for NAVAIR, and Rear Adm. Mat Winter, NAWCWD commander. Photo by Mike Johnson.

Date: 09-Oct-10
News Release Number: ECL201010091

Scott O'Neil, acting deputy commander for NAVAIR, encourages the NAWCWD work force to remember the legacy of Dr. William B. McLean as they continue to support the warfighter with new and innovative capabilities. Photo by Mike Johnson.

Capt. S. Keith Hamilton, commanding officer of Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Navy Region Southwest, presents Tex Barnhart, executive director of operations for Barnhart Balfour Beatty Inc., with a Safety Excellence Award in recognition of the 215,000 hours of mishap-free work they performed on this project. Photo by Mike Johnson.

Navy officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 8 for the Dr. William B. McLean Laboratory, the single largest Base Realignment and Closure 2005 construction project at China Lake.

"This building is here for one reason - to serve our warfighters," said Scott O'Neil, acting deputy commander for NAVAIR.

Capt. Jeffrey Dodson, Naval Air Weapons Station commanding officer, emceed the ceremony, which attracted more than 450 people from the NAWCWD work force, congressional representatives, and leaders and members of the local community.

The 177,000-square-foot McLean Lab will house technical and management support for about 550 personnel who are engaged in engineering, logistics, and modeling and simulation work. It will also be the location of future Navy weapons and armaments conferences and symposia.

The $60 million facility is part of the overall BRAC 2005 plan that establishes China Lake the Naval Integrated Weapons and Armaments Research, Development and Acquisition, Test and Evaluation Center of Excellence.

"This is an excellent addition to the landscape at the NAWCWD campus," said Rear Adm. Mat Winter, NAWCWD commander. "Our mission is to execute full-spectrum weapons and warfare systems research, development, acquisition, and test and evaluation. Part of our mission success is determined by developing, maintaining, and operating our unique cross-domain space, land, air, and sea range and laboratory assets. McLean Lab meets us at our mission."

In an effort to explain all that is involved in executing BRAC 2005, Ruth Hogan, head of the Weapons and Armaments Implementation Team for NAWCWD, recognized and thanked the many people who have worked on and continue to support the completion of the BRAC process.

"It takes a village," Hogan said. "This village shares in the vision to create the best Navy weapons and armaments center to provide the facilities and tools to advance the efforts of the warfighter. It's a privilege and an honor to be part of this village."

The building's namesake was one of China Lake's pioneers who led the design and development of the Sidewinder missile. McLean's son Mark, and his wife Meredith, came down from Davis to attend the ceremony. Mark performed the cutting of the ribbon that signaled the official opening of the laboratory.

"It's been awhile since I've been to China Lake and it's great to be here," McLean said. "The lab seems to be designed very well for what my dad liked to do - get people together and talk and communicate."

O'Neil targeted the younger employees and encouraged them to "look and listen with enthusiasm to Dr. McLean's story and his spirit. In his service, Dr. McLean made enormous and lasting impacts both on the Navy and our nation. Every weapon in our nation's arsenal owes its roots to Dr. McLean," he said.

The contract for the McLean Lab was awarded Sept. 24, 2008 to Barnhart Balfour Beatty Inc. of San Diego. Ground was broken Feb. 17, 2009.

The McLean Lab is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification. It provides third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources.

"I have high hopes for this building," O'Neil said. "Having it at the center of our China lake campus is a persistent reminder of Dr. McLean an all he stood for. I truly believe that Dr. McLean's spirit is alive and well today at NAWCWD."

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