China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport (KNID), California
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
China Lake NAWS (Armitage Field), identified as KNID, is a towered military airfield in China Lake, California, operating under restricted civil access. The field sits at 2,288 feet elevation and offers three long paved runways, making it a capable divert or alternate option for operators who can secure prior permission. Business aviation traffic here is modest, consistent with its status as a military installation rather than a public-use airport, and civil operators must route requests through the appropriate control channels well before planning a movement. The nearest customs clearance point is KVCV, roughly 67 nautical miles away, since customs services are not available onsite.
Runways
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport has three paved runways. The longest, 08/26, is 11,199 ft long and 200 ft wide, with a concrete surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
The airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Southern California Logistics (KVCV), 67 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport recorded 128 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in March. Business aviation traffic at KNID China Lake NAWS is concentrated in March, which recorded far more operations than any other month in 2025.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month March, 60 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport averages 30.8 days above 90°F in July and 18.9 freeze days in December. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 104.6°F, and December the coldest, at 59.5°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
The field is restricted and requires prior permission. All PPR is issued 1530-0630Z on weekdays only.
Transient aircraft to or from China Lake (KNID) must contact the R2508 Complex Control Board for scheduling and briefing before obtaining a PPR. Portions of the approach end of runway 26 and the adjacent taxiway are not visible from the tower.
PPR is required for civil aircraft on official business. For calendar year requests, contact the Airfield Manager or terminal. Restricted airfield hours are subject to change. Pilots filing China Lake (KNID) as an alternate or emergency diversion are advised to call Base Ops to verify operating hours.
Runways 03/21, 08/26, and 14/32 are marked and lighted at a width of 200 feet.
Caution: bird hazard near the golf course, within Class D airspace, from October through April.
Lighting is available only during hours of operation.
JASU units available: 3 (GTC-85), 5 (NC-10A1), 1 (NC-10B), 1 (NC-10C), 7 (AM32A-108), 4 (A/M47A-4), 4 (MSU-200).
Fuel type F24 is available 1400-0700Z Monday through Thursday, on an alternating 1400-0430Z schedule Thursday-Friday, and 2200-0700Z on Sunday.
Transient alert should be expected to experience service delays. Limited transient service is available 1530-0300Z Monday through Friday.
Customs is not available onsite. Aircraft arriving from foreign countries must clear customs prior to arrival.
Limited passenger service is available.
Caution: taxiways B and G are not lighted.
Caution: taxiway C is closed.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
China Lake Naws (armitage Fld) Airport has five airfields within 44 NM. The closest is Inyokern (KIYK), 6.75 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KNID
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$1,200.00 catering order at KNID.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is customs available at KNID China Lake NAWS?
Customs is not available onsite at China Lake NAWS (KNID). Aircraft arriving from foreign countries must clear customs prior to arrival at another location. The nearest customs facility is KVCV, located approximately 67 nautical miles away. Dispatchers should plan a customs stop ahead of any international leg terminating at KNID.
Does KNID require prior permission to land?
Yes, China Lake NAWS (KNID) is a restricted-access military field requiring PPR for all arrivals. PPR is issued only on weekdays between 1530 and 0630Z. Civil aircraft need official business justification, and transient aircraft must contact the R2508 Complex Control Board for scheduling and briefing before a PPR is obtained. Base Ops verification of operating hours is recommended for alternate or diversion planning.
What are the runway options at KNID?
China Lake NAWS (KNID) offers three paved runways, all 200 feet wide. Runway 08/26 is the longest at 11,199 feet of concrete, runway 03/21 measures 10,000 feet of concrete, and runway 14/32 is 9,014 feet of asphalt. All three runways are marked and lighted at their full 200-foot width, giving substantial margin for large or heavy aircraft.
When is fuel available at China Lake NAWS?
Fuel type F24 is available at China Lake NAWS (KNID) on a limited schedule tied to the field's operating hours. Availability runs 1400-0700Z Monday through Thursday, an alternating 1400-0430Z Thursday-Friday window, and 2200-0700Z on Sunday. Given the restricted PPR access at this military field, crews should coordinate fuel needs alongside their PPR request rather than assuming standard hours.