Deep beneath the ColoradoThe Rockies hide a classified stronghold built to ensure the survival of America's military and political leaders in the event of a catastrophe.
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex, which was once a source of Cold War fears, is an extensive underground city built from almost 700,000 tons of granite and constructed to endure direct nuclear attacks.
For many years, it has been prepared to manage U.S. defenses in case of doomsday.
The final time journalists were permitted entry was in 2018, whenDonald Trump was still in the White House.
Now, as global conflicts escalate, the US military has once more activated its blast-resistant entrances - withNewsNation cameras were taken deep into the restricted area.
Behind steel doors that were three feet thick and after passing through several security checkpoints, journalists were taken to the command center that military officials claim can endure a nuclear explosion "1,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima," even when it's only a mile away.
The facility is far more than a simple shelter — it functions as an underground metropolis. It features its own power station, subterranean reservoirs for potable water, and reserves of provisions capable of supporting personnel for an extended period.
A Subway outlet is located inside, proudly branding itself as the 'most secure Subway' globally.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of the U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, stated to NewsNation that the facility is just as important now as it was when it was initially established in 1966.
"It's genuinely worth whatever they paid for it in the early '60s, and we're still using it the same way they did decades ago," Guillot said to the outlet.
When questioned about current dangers—such as Russian aircraft entering U.S. airspace, Chinese surveillance balloons, and cyberattacks—Guillot stated to NewsNation that he remained calm.
I'm not concerned. We have the finest military personnel handling it," he stated, followed by a foreboding remark: "And we are prepared.
The facility covers 5.1 acres and includes 15 structures supported by large springs designed to cushion the impact of a nuclear explosion.
Referred to as the "battle deck," it would act as the central command for American and Canadian forces in the event of a crisis.
Finished in 1966 for $142 million, the Cheyenne Mountain complex would now exceed $1 billion in cost. During the peak of the Cold War, it was promoted as 'the most secure location on the planet' – a network of tunnels and reinforced chambers constructed to safeguard against Soviet missiles.
"We often claim it's the most secure facility globally," Steve Rose, the base's deputy director, mentioned to journalists during a 2018 visit.
Granite and steel also protect electronic devices from electromagnetic pulses caused by nuclear detonations. Hydraulic systems can close the large blast doors within 45 seconds—or manually in an emergency.
The entrances were notably closed on 9/11, the sole instance since the Cold War when they were locked down during an actual real-life emergency.
Previously the main headquarters of NORAD, the facility transitioned to a secondary command function in 2008, with its primary operations now located at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.
However, personnel continue to cycle through Cheyenne Mountain to maintain preparedness, and officials state it is not an outdated facility.
"Far from the truth," Rose stated in 2018, pointing out that permanent NORAD teams continue to be stationed there along with cyber, space, and intelligence units.
The complex has also become a pop culture icon - immortalized in the 1983 film WarGames and the Stargate TV series.
If the unimaginable occurred, America's strategy for continuity is already in place.
The President would initially be taken to the White House's subterranean bunker, known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, as stated by the White House Historical Association.
If time permitted, he would then be transported aboard one of theE-4B 'Doomsday' aircraft of the Air Force- air-based command centers, as defined by the U.S. Air Force, intended to maintain the chain of command even if Washington was under assault.
With the President would be a close group of officials: the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and military aides who carry the nuclear 'football' containing the codes required to authorize an attack.
The Deputy President is safeguarded individually to ensure a smooth transition, whereas other members of the Cabinet and legislative leaders would be relocated to secure backup locations like Mount Weather in Virginia or Raven Rock in Pennsylvania, according toFEMA.
Cheyenne Mountain, on the other hand, would maintain its Cold War role.
NORAD refers to the underground facility as a reinforced alternative command center, which offers early detection of missile launches, monitors incoming aircraft, and transmits information to the Pentagon and the President's mobile command post.
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