Pacific Missile Test Center (PMTC) is the former name of the current

Naval Air Warfare Center Naval Air Warfare Centers are research organizations within Naval Air Systems Command. The centers are grouped within the following divisions: Aircraft division The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) conducts research, development, ...

, Weapons Division. The name of the center was the Naval Air Missile Test Center prior to PMTC. It is located at

Naval Base Ventura County Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) is a United States Navy base in Ventura County, California. Formed by the merger of NAS Point Mugu and CBC Port Hueneme, NBVC is a diverse installation composed of three main locations — Point Mugu, Port Hueneme ...

Naval Air Station Point Mugu Naval Air Station Point Mugu was a United States naval air station near Oxnard, California, which operated as an independent base from 1941 to 2000, when it merged with nearby Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme to form Naval Base V ...

Ventura County Ventura County () is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura. Ventura County comprises the Oxnar ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. The nearest city to the installation is

Oxnard Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. On California's South Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the 22nd-most-populous city in California. Incorporated in 1903, Oxnard lies approximately west ...

. The Naval Air Warfare Center consists of both the NAS Point Mugu airfield and a rocket launching site for the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

. The center has been an active development and test facility for the Navy since the late 1940s. Among the missiles developed and tested there include the Sparrow family and the

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

, and

AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employs ...

air-to-air missiles and the

Regulus Regulus is the brightest object in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky. It has the Bayer designation designated α Leonis, which is Latinized to Alpha Leonis, and abbreviated Alpha Leo or α Leo. Re ...

surface-to-surface missile in addition to numerous prototypes of military rockets and

sounding rocket A sounding rocket or rocketsonde, sometimes called a research rocket or a suborbital rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The rockets are used to ...

Pacific Missile Test Center Point Mugu missile range map 1957

History

It was originally built for anti-aircraft training during World War II. The base later shifted from traditional anti-aircraft munitions training to become a test center for anti-aircraft missiles. Most of the missiles developed during the 1950s and 1960s were designed and tested at the base. This includes the

Aim-7 Sparrow The AIM-7 Sparrow (Air Intercept Missile) is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, as well as other various air forces ...

, Aim 54 Phoenix, Regulus Surface to the surface and the

AGM-12 Bullpup The AGM-12 Bullpup is a short-range air-to-ground missile developed by Martin Marietta for the US Navy. It is among the earliest precision guided air-to-ground weapons and the first to be mass produced. It first saw operational use in 1959 on the ...

Facilities

Naval Air Station Point Mugu

This base is where most of the aircraft are launched for testing on the range. It is home to the test squadron and also other groups including the Air National Guard. This was also the airfield that US President Ronald Reagan flew into when he came to visit his ranch in Santa Barbara.

Naval Base Ventura County

NBVC supports approximately 80 tenant commands with a base population of more than 19,000 personnel. Tenant commands encompass an extremely diverse set of specialties that support both Fleet and Fighter, including three warfare centers: Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division and Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center. NBVC is also home to deployable units, including the Pacific Seabees and the West Coast E-2C Hawkeyes. Additionally, the base is home to the construction battalions that are used to create targets and facilities for the range. The Island of San Nicolas was transferred from the Naval Air Warfare Center to the base in 2004.

Weapons tested

Air to ground

Walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...

SLAM-ER The AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response) is an advanced stand off precision-guided, air-launched cruise missile produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security for the United States Armed Forces and their allies. Deve ...

, standoff land-attack missile,

laser-guided bomb A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...

Joint Stand-Off Weapon The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a glide bomb that resulted from a joint venture between the United States Navy and Air Force to deploy a standardized medium range precision guided weapon, especially for engagement of defended targets ...

, Hellfire,

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

, low-collateral-damage bomb, AGM-84A, High-Speed Antiradiation Missile,

general-purpose bomb A general-purpose bomb is an air-dropped bomb intended as a compromise between blast damage, penetration, and fragmentation in explosive effect. They are designed to be effective against enemy troops, vehicles, and buildings. Characteristics ...

s, Advanced Anti Radiation Guided Missile

Air to air

Sidewinder, Sparrow,

, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile

High-energy weapons

The range is used to test and develop high energy weapons used to destroy Land and Air targets. The range is permitted to use up to 1 Megawatt weapons. The Range has tested and evaluated high energy weapons on both land and sea targets. They have tested high energy lasers to disable small boats. The laser was located on another ship.

Sea to air

Standard Missile,

Rolling Airframe Missile The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the German, Japanese, Greek, Turkish, South Korean, Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Mexican, UAE, and U.S. Navies. It was origina ...

, RGM-84A surface-launched, Evolved SeaSparrow Missile''Titanic''

Sea to ground

ICBMs An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons ...

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Europ ...

, Vertical Launch

Asroc The RUR-5 ASROC (for "Anti-Submarine Rocket") is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed ...

Trident A trident is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. The trident is the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the God of the Sea in classical mythology. The trident may occasionally be held by other marine ...

Aircraft used for testing

EA-6B, EA-18G, E-2C, F/A-18, EP-3E, JSF, MH-60, UAS, F-14A, F-14B, A-3, A-4, A-6, A-7, F-4, F-8, OV-10, S-2

Launch vehicles

Pogo Hi, Asp, Loki Dart, Coyote, Nike Cajun, Nike Asp, R-17, Polaris TV, Aerobee 100, Arcas, Loki, Nike Zeus, Kiva/Hopi, Sparoair II, Clean Sweep III, Tomahawk, Sparrow Arcas, Judi-Dart, Sparoair III, Rocketsonde, Terrier LEAP, SR19 1999 Sparo Air I

VX-30 - Bloodhounds

VX-30 Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 (AIRTEVRON THREE ZERO or VX-30), nicknamed ''The Bloodhounds'') is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Using the tail code ''BH'', the squad ...

uses the aircraft to launch and track munitions for the range. VX-30 have used the F-4 Phantom (retired), F-14 (retired), F-18 (retired), S-3 Viking (retired), P3 Orion (active) and C-130s (active). This squadron is dedicated to this range and can be used for tracking and acquisition of targets also. VX-30 has conducted missions not only in the range but the Reagan Test Site in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, to the waters off the Florida coast, supporting the Missile Defense Agency And the National Aeronautics And Space Administration. The squadron is also testing and evaluation for the US Navy.

Targets

US Naval self defence ship.

This ship is owned by the US Navy and is the refurbished USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964). This ship is a remote controlled, fully functioning ship. Being unmanned it avoids safety constraints, meaning it can be a weapons test platform for live missiles. Testing features an anti-missile platform on the ship and towing a decoy. The missile will be aimed at the decoy and the ship will try and defend the decoy. Tested weapons include the MK 57 Sea Sparrow,

, AN/SLQ-32 ESM and the

Phalanx CIWS The Phalanx CIWS (often spoken as "sea-wiz") is a gun-based close-in weapon system to defend military watercraft automatically against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats. It was designed and manufactured by the Gene ...

Aerial targets

The range offers both Supersonic and Subsonic targets. This includes both BQM-74E, BQM-34S, AQM-37C, GQM-163A, QRQ-2B Flycatcher. These are used for anti-Aircraft testing and is launched from Naval Air Station Point Mugu and also from San Nicolas Island. These can be used to simulate enemy targets and are capable of emitting different radar cross section to simulate different aircraft. They also offer the Qf-4 Phantom 2 for testing and evaluation of live and dummy missiles.

Sea targets

The range also offers smaller boats for testing and evaluation of weapons. These are all remote controlled so that live weapons can be used. The range offers the HSMST, QST, FACT, and MST. These are capable of testing weapons that are air launched and also ones from land.

San Nicolas Island

The island is used as live munitions testing range. It supplies a realistic marine environment, Remote and Fixed telemetry sites, 50,000 pound missile rail( located at 33.264278,-119.539), target launcher, Inert Missile impact area, 10,000 foot airfield for c-5 and c-17 and dedicated ordnance and range staff. This gives them the ability to launch and control a wide variety of missiles, aerial and surface targets from a controlled secluded island. It was also one of the 8 candidates for the first detonation of the atomic bomb before White Sands Proving ground was selected for it. During WW2 there were stationed aircraft on the island Including j4f Widgeon Amphibians and TBF Avengers. In 1946 the Island became strictly used as an auxiliary landing field for the island. The island is now used for mostly target acquisition and live training for the US navy. They have continued to upgrade the island with new telemetry radar facilities.

Electronic targets

The range is capable of simulated GPS, radar and Active Denial Systems for weapons-survivability testing. This is used for testing of anti-radar and anti-GPS targets.

References

External links

Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division
{{coord missing, Ventura County, California Buildings and structures in Ventura County, California