NORAD

NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense Command.

It's located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and provides aerospace warning and defense for both the United States and Canada.

At one time this facility was open to the public for VIP tours, but since September 11th, no public visitors are allowed.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command was founded in 1958 as an effect of the Cold War.

Inside the War Room

NORAD Command

Fears of long-range Soviet bombers armed with nuclear weapons necessitated a need for a stronger air defense. And the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles further developed this need.

Currently, according to their website (www.norad.mil), their service includes “the monitoring of man-made objects in space, and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands.”

Most people think of secret underground mountain military headquarters when they hear the term NORAD.

That’s because for years, the main technical facility had been housed under Cheyenne Mountain.

The famous War Room was created to withstand a direct nuclear attack.

Several 25-ton steel blast doors could be shut in seconds to seal off the outer world, and 1300 thousand-pound springs supported it all in case of a massive hit. NORAD - Blast Doors Inside the mountain, a miniature city of sorts existed.

Fifteen building 2-3 stories high existed, with its own police and fire force, a medical clinic, even a barbershop. Huge pools of fresh water were kept in case of extended need.

No longer seeing the need for a blast-proof command center, the military currently has headquarters located at Peterson Air Force Base, 10 miles away.

But Commanders will keep it on “warm standby” should the need arise for such a place again.

POP CULTURE:

In the Movies, maybe the most famous depiction was in the 1983 movie War Games with Matthew Broderick. In it, a supercomputer called WOPR wages its own simulated thermonuclear war on the world, putting the planet at risk.

On TV, Stargate’s Command Center for Operations takes place in Cheyenne Mountain.

In Books, Tom Clancy’s “A Sum of All Fears” has a Russian President inquire how many people live in Colorado Springs because he’s considering using nuclear weapons against the city to destroy this important command post.

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