Story Highlights
- Historical event
- 1 August 1957
- The supreme HQ of NORAD was located in a nuclear bunker in the American federal state of Colorado, specifically in the famed Cheyenne Mountain complex.
On this day in 1957 the NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) was founded.
This institution was of great importance during the Cold War since it was supposed to protect North America against nuclear attack. NORAD is still active, and covers both the USA and Canada.
The supreme HQ of NORAD was located in a nuclear bunker in the American federal state of Colorado, specifically in the famed Cheyenne Mountain complex.
The complex was allegedly able to withstand the explosion of a 30-megaton nuclear bomb (1,875 times more powerful than the Hiroshima Bomb) within 1.9 kilometers.
NORAD’s Cheyenne Mountain HQ boasted several thousand meters of tunnels and armored doors weighing 25 tons. It also contained large reserves of drinking water and diesel fuel for the generators.
NORAD is still active, but its HQ has been transferred to the Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs. The United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is located in the same base.
In fact, the supreme commander of the USNORTHCOM is always also the commander of NORAD, and a four-star general.
