Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station, New Jersey
Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) Lakehurst, New Jersey covers 7,400 acres located in the central New Jersey Pinelands. The area is a unique ecosystem that was designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1983. It abuts Fort Dix to the west forming a 42,000 acre contiguous military complex with Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base.
NAES Lakehurst is the Aircraft Platform Interface (API) expert. That is, they are responsible for the equipment, systems, processes and expertise needed to assure that aircraft can operate safely and effectively from aircraft carriers, air-capable ships and expeditionary airfields. The major components of the API mission are Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment, and Support Equipment.
Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) Lakehurst is host to the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCADLKE). NAES provides and maintains facilities and centralized support services (e.g., facility support, security, fire & emergency services, safety, supply) for the NAWCADLKE and more than twenty other permanent DoD, Federal and State tenant organizations.
Installation management services provided by NAES enable NAWCADLKE to perform their aircraft launch & recovery (ALRE) and support equipment (SE) missions. The success of these missions permits fixed and rotary wing aircraft to operate safely and effectively from ships at sea and austere expeditionary airfields worldwide. NAES is the only activity responsible for hosting this unique and vital aspect of Naval Aviation.
NAES Lakehurst provides installation management services in a joint environment, enabling the success of our other tenants: the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, which trains sailors to launch and recover aircraft; the US Air Force’s 421st Combat Training Squadron expeditionary airfield exercises; the US Army’s CERDEC Flight Test Activity; New Jersey Army National Guard aviation units; Department of Justice aviation unit; NJ State Police Urban Search and Rescue team; and other DoD, federal, state and county entities.
Chronology of Navy Lakehurst
1915-1917 Ammunition proving ground for the Russian Imperial Government.
1917-1921 Acquired by U.S. Army as an ammunition proving ground. Named Camp Kendrick
1921 Commissioned as a Naval Air Station (NAS) Lakehurst. Captain Frank Taylor Evans is the first Commanding Officer. 1921-1961 The country's (and, perhaps, the world's) Lighter Than Air (LTA) Center. In 1961, the Navy's LTA program was terminated.
1937 Hindenburg crashes at Lakehurst.
1958 The Naval Air Test Facility (NATF) was established.
1973 The Naval Air Engineering Center (NAEC) was relocated from Philadelphia as directed by a Shore Establishment Realignment.
1977 NAS and NATF were disestablished and merged into NAEC.
1992 The Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) was established. NAEC becomes the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCADLKE).
1994 NAWCADLKE becomes the Naval Air Engineering Station (NAES) for shore station management and the Aircraft Platform Interface (API) Group for technical mission support.
1994 NAWCADLKE and the rest of the AIRCRAFT DIVISION reorganize into a Competency Aligned Organizaiton.
1997 The Aircraft Division and Weapons Division are integrated into the Naval Aviation Systems Team's Competency Aligned Organization