Our View: Bipartisan effort made China Lake nation's top defense lab

09 Aug 2026, 01:04 · The Fresno Bee

Just seven years after twin earthquakes left Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake "mission incapable," the eastern Kern County base has been declared the most advanced facility of its kind in the federal government. A recently-completed Pentagon-wide review of the nation's defense laboratories singled out the base for its top honor.

Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, whose district includes China Lake, noted in a press release that recognition of the Naval Air Weapons Station "as a global leader is a credit to the investments that have been made, strong local and regional support, and the hard work of the talented men and women who develop and test cutting-edge technology for our nation's warfighter."

The amazing accomplishment can be credited to the bipartisan effort of Congress, two presidents from different political parties and the dedication of military and civilian professionals.

It's how our Americans should expect their government will act in the service of this country and in response to an overwhelming emergency.

On July 4, 2019 and again on July 5, earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.4 and 7.1 hit the Ridgecrest area, with the epicenters within the base's boundaries.

Damage to structures and equipment was so severe that an initial Navy survey estimated the cost of repair and replacement would exceed $5 billion.

A letter co-signed by California Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, and Republican Congressmen Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Paul Cook of San Bernardino, who represented the Ridgecrest/China Lake area, urged Congress to immediately allocate money to begin rebuilding.

Less than two weeks after the earthquakes struck, the House unanimously approved a measure to authorize $100 million for repairs. Later that year, President Trump signed a compromise defense spending bill that contained additional funding for the base. By April 2020, during the Biden administration, the first major contract to begin work was awarded.

Through the remaining few months of Trump's first term and throughout President Biden's term, bipartisan support drove funding and work that not only restored the base, but made it better and stronger.

China Lake's distinction as the most advanced government laboratory and test enterprise in the world was included in a recent Pentagon review of the Defense Research Enterprises - the Department of Defense's network of in-house laboratories, research centers and university partners.

"The earthquakes of 2019 were a blessing in disguise," said Scott O'Neil, a member of the National Commission on the Future of the Navy and executive director of the Indian Wells Valley Economic Development Corp.

"The congressional and Navy investment to rebuild China Lake following the earthquakes has rendered it the most modern DoD research, development test and evaluation facility," he said. "This investment postures China Lake extremely well to lead and support" today's highly technical and complex weapons systems.

Established in 1943, during World War II, China Lake has served for decades as the Navy's research, development, testing and engineering hub. The installation is also the Navy's largest single landholding. Its two ranges and main site encompass more than 1.1 million acres - an area larger than Rhode Island.

Nearly 1,400 buildings - small, large, critical labs, weapons storage and landmarks, including the base chapel - were damaged in the earthquakes.

More than half of the damaged buildings were built before 1980 and did not meet today's seismic standards. China Lake has been rebuilt to present-day standards and is more resistant to the many fault lines that crisscross the eastern Kern County area.

The massive effort to quickly rebuild China Lake is recognition of the critical role the base plays in the nation's defense and wartime readiness.

"Combined with the work of the AFRL Rocket Lab, Edwards Air Force Base, NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center and the Mojave Air and Space Port, our community stands as the nation's premier hub for military and aerospace research, development, testing and evaluation," noted Fong.