Residing one hundred and fifty miles North East of L.A. and nestled in the western most part of the Mojave Desert just outside of Ridgecrest, California is the Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake (NAWS). China Lake's VX-9 "Vampires" are charged with the testing and evaluation of weapons and their related systems in direct support of the United States Naval Aviation Fleet. The skilled Sailors and Marines of VX-9 are known for their ability to adapt to the dynamic testing environment that the aviation field provides.