--- title: "You Have Totally Earned This 4-Minute Video Of The Navy Blowing Stuff Up" description: "Nestled in the southwest corner of the Mojave Desert, California’s [Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division]() — “China Lake” — is one of the finest military testing ranges in the continental United States. Home to 85% of the Navy’s weapons…" date: "2017-07-28" modified: "2017-07-28" authors: - name: "Jared Keller" job_title: "Former Managing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-weapons-test-range-video/" categories: - "Military Branches" - "Navy" - "News" tags: - "video" --- # You Have Totally Earned This 4-Minute Video Of The Navy Blowing Stuff Up ![]() Nestled in the southwest corner of the Mojave Desert, California’s [Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division]() — “China Lake” — is one of the finest military testing ranges in the continental United States. Home to 85% of the Navy’s weapons research and development, it covers an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. A cradle for destruction, the range has given birth to the Sidewinder, Hellfire, and Tomahawk missiles; the Joint Direct Attack Munition in high demand by both the Navy and Air Force; and a [plethora of unusual testing]() facilities for electronic warfare to unmanned aerial vehicles. There’s no better place on the planet to blow shit up — and this ridiculous sizzle reel of China Lake explosions proves it: The highlight reel of NAWCWD weapons tests conducted during 2016 captures Navy personnel up to their elbows in missiles and rockets, demolishing mock radar towers, storage vehicles and bunkers; annihilating tactical vehicles, commercial sedans, and drydocked boats; sniping missiles out of the sky; and even launching pickup trucks ass-over-elbows into the sky amid a spray of dirt and fire. [According]() to the War Zone’s Tyler Rogoway, who [first surfaced]() this explosive footage, weapons tested in the brief video include the GBU-31 JDAM, which is currently getting a workout downrange in Iraq and Syria; Tomahawk cruise missiles; and the SeaRAM-fired RIM-116s that currently keep Navy vessels safe from incoming enemy munitions. Here are some of my favorite scenes, in GIF form: Photo via DoD/YouTube ![]() Photo via DoD/YouTube ![]() Photo via DoD/YouTube ![]() Photo via DoD/YouTube ![]() The only thing missing from this montage of destruction is some AC/DC. Next time, perhaps. **WATCH NEXT:** ## Author Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Facebook]() [LinkedIn]() [Instagram]()