Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation in southern California, located approximately 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Lancaster and east of Rosamond. It often referred to as Edwards, California or just Edwards.
History
Birth of Iron Man
Tony Stark escaped from his three months kidnapping by the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, when members of the United States Air Force, including his friend James Rhodes, found him wandering the desert. Stark was flown back to Edwards Air Force Base in Lancaster, were he was greeted by Happy Hogan and a visibly moved Pepper Potts.
Stark declared that Stark Industries would no longer manufacture weapons, and retreated from public view, focusing on the design of an improved armor, refining its size and flight capability, going to Edwards Air Force Base to ask for Rhodes's assistance in the project. Rhodes paused his lesson to a group of airmen to attend Stark, refusing to help in this new project even before Stark had a chance of explaining his idea.
The United States Air Force command center at Edwards Air Force Base detected an unidentified presence in Afghanistan responsible for the attack against the Ten Rings in Gulmira. Major Allen was in charge of the contingency, contacting the Department of State, the CIA and the other branches of the United States Armed Forces. Rhodes suspected that Stark was the responsible of the attacks, while Allen sent two F-22 Raptors with orders to take out the target.
After engaging the F-22s, Stark admitted that what was previously thought as an unmanned aerial vehicle was in fact a suit of armor worn by Stark himself and evaded the attacks, but not without being able to prevent a hit against one of the planes. When Stark saved the ejected pilot, the Air Force called off the pursuit.
The following day, Rhodes dubbed the incident as an "unfortunate training excercise" in a press conference in Edwards Air Force Base.[1]
Birth of War Machine
James Rhodes flew to Edwards Air Force Base in Lancaster using the Iron Man Mark II armor, which he used to stop Tony Stark from putting his guests at risk during a birthday party.
Major Allen greeted Rhodes as he landed while most of the airmen approached to admire the armor. Rhodes presented the armor to General Meade, who ordered to summon Justin Hammer to weaponize the armor in order to be presented at the Stark Expo.
Rhodes retired the Arc Reactor from the Mark II so that Hammer could not analyze it, and Hammer arrived, presenting a full array of weapons such as pistols, shotguns, a minigun and an exclusive Sidewinder Self-Guided Missile. Rhodes selected all the weapons presented by Hammer to be incorporated to the armor, and it was upgraded into the "JRXL-1000 Variable Threat Response Battle Suit".[2]
Gallery
