In 1996, Von Beaty stood in Norm Rodewald's office, staring at the test selection worksheet in his hands. Red ink covered all seven pages. Corrections bleeding across each line.

After 11 years at Point Mugu, this moment almost made him walk away.

"I almost wanted to quit," Beaty recalled.

It was December 1995, and Rodewald had burned through five other engineers before walking into Beaty's office.

"You're my test lead," he said. "You shouldn't be down here. You belong upstairs in the lab."

How do you get students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics? Sierra Sands Unified School District in Ridgecrest, California, does it in partnership with the Navy.

For example, at Burroughs High School, an annual rocket launch event sees the disappointment of a failed experiment quickly replaced by the thrill of understanding as students learn that setbacks can fuel innovation – especially with a little help from real rocket scientists.

Standing before a Gulfstream NC-20G in the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 30 hangar June 11, Rear Adm. Keith Hash delivered a clear message about the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s mission: The demand for innovation is growing, not shrinking.

“But it also means that we have an opportunity to focus in on the most important things,” Hash continued. “And to make sure that every moment we spend is solving the hardest problems.”

Hash also emphasized NAWCWD’s historic role in pushing technological boundaries.

Colleen Major was recognized for 35 years of service with Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division during a ceremony June 2 in China Lake.

Jill Patterson, AIM-9 Technical Project Office lead, presented Major with the length-of-service award during a team meeting.

"35 years is a legacy," Patterson said. "It speaks to the testament of continuous hard work."

A critical waterfront launch structure was restored to operational use at Naval Base Ventura County by a collaborative team from Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest and the Seabees of Naval Construction Group One.

Known as the Vertical Launch Slip, the steel and concrete structure allows large, unmanned surface targets, which are remotely operated boats used in weapons testing and evaluation, to be lowered directly into the water using a mobile Marine Travelift.

In a missile factory at Huntsville’s Redstone Arsenal, a historic Army post known for its role in missile development and space exploration, Michael Perry patrols the production floor. With trusted eyes and precise hands, he inspects every detail of the latest Standard Missile rounds, knowing lives may depend on components most will never see. For Perry, each missile carries a promise: when warfighters call, it will deliver without fail.

Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division successfully air-launched a Solid Fuel Integral Rocket Ramjet (SFIRR) from an unmanned vehicle for the first time, one step toward modernizing missile technology.

The test also integrated the use of a fire control system on a BQM-34 unmanned target vehicle for live firing, demonstrating advancements in high-speed, long-range weapon capabilities. Launching the missile from an unmanned vehicle can allow warfighters to safely engage targets from greater distances.

Cmdr. Barry F. Carmody Jr. took command of the "Bloodhounds" of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 30 during a May 1 ceremony at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, California, one week ahead of the squadron's 30th anniversary.

Under overcast skies and light rain, family, friends, and former Bloodhounds gathered as Carmody relieved Cmdr. Devin Holmes, ending their third tour together since graduating from the Naval Academy in 2005.

On April 23 at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu in Southern California, military and civilian members of the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force gathered near the Pacific shoreline. Clouds hid Laguna Peak. Birds chirped. Waves pounded the sand.

They stood together to commemorate a century-old tradition: Anzac Day.

For Australians and New Zealanders, Anzac Day mirrors Memorial Day for Americans. It's a day to pause. To reflect. To remember those who never returned home.

It started with a handshake and a question. Can we do better for both sides?  

In November 2023, a new round of negotiations began between Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division and the National Association of Government Employees. The goal was to replace a nearly 30-year-old collective bargaining agreement that no longer reflected the realities of the modern workforce, service, or mission.