The recognition came in the U.S. Department of Defense’s 90-day Defense Research Enterprise Review, which evaluated the department’s laboratories, research centers, and testing facilities. The report credited nearly $4 billion in congressional funding used to rebuild China Lake following the 2019 earthquakes. “NAWS China Lake, as well as our region’s defense and space ecosystem, are truly world-class,” Rep. Fong said on July 30. “I applaud NAWS China Lake on this important recognition and thank the undersecretary for his advocacy to strengthen our nation’s defense base,” he said. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is the U.S. Navy’s largest single landholding, accounting for 85 percent of the service’s land used for research, development, acquisition, testing, and evaluation, and 38 percent of its land holdings worldwide.