Muroc Field

Edwards Air Force Base
Part of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)
Located near: Lancaster, California
A 461st Flight Test Squadron F-35 Lightning II, marked AA-1, lands at Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards AFB
Coordinates	34°54′20″N 117°53′01″W / 34.90556°N 117.88361°W / 34.90556; -117.88361Coordinates: 34°54′20″N 117°53′01″W / 34.90556°N 117.88361°W / 34.90556; -117.88361
Type	Air Force Base
Site information
Owner	United States Air Force
Controlled by	Air Force Materiel Command
Condition	Active
Site history
Built	1933
In use	1933–present
Garrison information
Garrison	412th Test Wing

Airfield information
Main base area
Rogers Dry Lake runways
IATA: EDW ICAO: KEDW FAA LID: EDW
Summary
Elevation AMSL	2,310 ft / 704 m
Coordinates	34°54′20″N 117°53′01″W / 34.90556°N 117.88361°W / 34.90556; -117.88361
Website	www.edwards.af.mil
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 04R/22L 15,024 4,579 Concrete 04L/22R 12,000 3,658 Concrete 06/24 8,000 2,438 Concrete
Source: official site and FAA

Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) (IATA: EDW, ICAO: KEDW, FAA LID: EDW) is a United States Air Force installation in southern California, about 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Lancaster and 15 miles (24 km) east of Rosamond.

It is the home of the Air Force Test Center and is the Air Force Materiel Command center for conducting and supporting research and development of flight, as well as testing and evaluation of aerospace systems from concept to combat. It operates the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and is home to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center and considerable test activities conducted by America's commercial aerospace industry.

Previously known as Muroc Air Force Base, Edwards AFB is named in honor of Captain Glen Edwards (1918–1948). During World War II, he flew A-20 Havoc light attack bombers in the North African campaign on 50 extremely hazardous, low-level missions against German tanks, convoys, troop concentrations, bridges, airfields, and a variety of other tactical targets. Edwards became a test pilot in 1943 and spent much of his time at Muroc Army Air Field, on California's high desert, testing wide varieties of experimental prototype aircraft. He died in the crash of a Northrop YB-49 flying wing near Muroc AFB on 5 June 1948.