NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER WEAPONS DIVISION, POINT MUGU, Calif. - Dr. Andrew Chen, F-35 Reprogramming Center West and F-35 Reprogramming Laboratory lead, was presented with the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service award in a May 21 ceremony at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Point Mugu.

Cmdr. Matt Sniffin , NAWCWD vice commander, conducted the ceremony, with NAWCWD Commander Rear Adm. Scott Dillon attending via VTC.

Chen was honored for his “exceptional leadership and technical accomplishments” in leading the charge to develop, test and deliver the first F-35 Foreign Military Sales operational mission data file set in less than 18 months and five weeks ahead of schedule.

“It’s an impressive accomplishment,” Dillon said. “This is a complicated technical challenge with F-35.”

For Chen, the award was more about the team.

“This is a great honor,” he said, “but the most important part is the great people who made this happen. It shows the power of NAWCWD.”