Over the years, VX-5 has maintained numerous detachments around the U.S. to take full advantage of the variety and diversity of facilities available, and to help keep the Squadron abreast of the latest fleet tactics.

In July 1956 VX-5 moved to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, as an independent tenant command because of the availability of vastly improved ranges and instrumentation facilities.

The squadron has, due to changes and improvements in Navy weapon system, evolved over the years to include independent operation test and evaluation of all air-dropped munitions destined for operational use of the US Navy and US Marine Corps as well as development of tactics to be used with the new weapon system, and incorporation of electronic warfare advances into the self-defense capability of attack aircraft.

In June 1993, the Chief of Naval Operations directed that the naval fighter aircraft community's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four VX-4 at NAS Point Mugu, California and VX-5 to be merged into a single operational test and evaluation squadron to be designated as VX-9, with a permanent F-14 Tomcat Detachment to be located at Point Mugu.

VX-9's mission has grown to include the operational evaluation of attack, fighter, and electronic warfare aircraft, weapons systems and equipment, and to develop tactical procedures for their employment.