Photo By Ryan Smith | Ken Ewbank, right, poses with Rear Adm. Keith Hash, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons...... read more read more
In 1977, Ken Ewbank joined the Navy and learned his trade as an electronics technician. Once he was ready for an assignment, instead of the ocean, his first orders sent him to a lake. Naval Weapons Center China Lake.
And then out to Laurel Mountain to maintain a long-range radar.
Ewbank spent two years at China Lake working on projects big and small, including working with the range targets team and witnessing the very first HARM launch. That memorable moment stuck with him.
After two years, Ewbank moved on and was assigned to the USS Fox (CG-33) as the RADAR/IFF technician. But China Lake had its hooks in him.
Ewbank left the Navy after six years enlisted, returning to China Lake as a contractor at Echo Range. After a couple of years there, he entered civil service in 1985.
Four decades later, Ewbank celebrated 45 years of federal service during a ceremony July 14 in China Lake.
In addition to the HARM launch, Ewbank’s’ career is marked by support to new systems and the sunset of older processes. He worked as a junior technician in the Sparrow facility in Michelson Laboratory in the ‘90s, then moved to the MESA building to support RF Missile fuze testing.
“That truly was the best part of my career,” Ewbank said. “The people were great; we got to hang large aircraft from the ceiling and the work was good.”
He also maintained the MESA radar system and all the electomechanical systems in the facility. Toward the end of that era, the facility was only used to validate computer models rather than the actual testing; the last test event was in 2013.
After MESA was damaged by back-to-back earthquakes in July 2019, Ewbank moved over to the Advanced Systems Development Office as an RF technician, passing on his knowledge to those who will pick up the reins when he retires this fall.
Looking back Ewbank said he just really enjoys the work, and that keeps him coming back.
His advice for those following in his footsteps – and those leading them? Be humble.
“Always listen to your technicians. They’re the closest to the work and have so much to share.”
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.21.2025 14:35 |
| Story ID: | 543386 |
| Location: | RIDGECREST, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ewbank celebrates delivering 45 years of technical expertise, by Deidre Patin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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