Cheyenne Mountain NORAD Complex

The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a hardened underground military installation located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Built during the Cold War to withstand a nuclear attack, this fortress inside a mountain serves as the Alternate Command Center for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).

Cold War Origins and Strategic Importance

The idea for a hardened command and control center inside Cheyenne Mountain was born out of the Cold War in the late 1950s, conceptualized as a defense against long-range Soviet bombers and the threat of nuclear attack. The complex reflected the era's nuclear anxiety and desire to maintain U.S. military power, serving as a vital information-gathering hub to detect incoming threats. Beyond its functional role, the Cheyenne Mountain complex also aimed to uplift domestic morale in an age of uncertainty, with its sophisticated technology and ability to withstand a nuclear blast. Excavation began in 1961 and the site became fully operational as the NORAD Combat Operations Center on April 20, 1966. Over the years, the installation housed elements of NORAD, U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Air Force Space Command and U.S. Northern Command, supporting critical missions of aerospace warning and control.

Technological Upgrades and Modernization
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex has undergone several technological upgrades and modernization efforts over the years to keep pace with evolving threats. The Cheyenne Mountain Upgrade (CMU) program, initiated in the late 1980s, aimed to modernize the aging computer systems at the facility. However, the program faced significant delays and cost overruns, with the initial completion date slipping by over a decade and development costs nearly doubling from initial projections to $792 million by 1994.In the early 2000s, the bunker's Command Center received a $13 million upgrade to its systems. More recently, in 2015, a $700 million contract was awarded to Raytheon to move systems into the complex to shield it from electromagnetic pulse attacks, with additional upgrades planned for Vandenberg and Offutt Air Force Bases. The ongoing modernization efforts aim to improve the complex's missile warning, space control, and air defense capabilities to meet modern challenges