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Watch VideoNORAD celebrates 50 years of service
Story By: Mark Hanrahan
Source: KOAA
North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD celebrated its 50th anniversary Monday. Deputy Chief of Staff for operations at Cheyenne Mountain, Lt. Col. James Crews says, “The Mountain has not lost its importance at all.”
NORAD was created through an agreement between the U.S. and Canada as a way to fend off attacks, primarily from the Soviet Union. It was initially headquartered at ENT Air Force Base, where the U.S. Olympic Training Center now sits. In 1961, though, work began on the current site. Five years later, NORAD opened its doors inside Cheyenne Mountain under 2,000 feet of granite and safe from a nuclear attack.
The facilities housing NORAD’s operations inside the mountain have gone largely unchanged. The 25 ton blast doors remain at the entrance of the complex. The structures sit atop huge coil springs to pad them from any kind of shock, blast or otherwise.
Meanwhile, though, the world outside has changed exponentially. Lt. Col. Crews says, “The whole world has changed; it used to be an us them or the bi-polar world, now we’re not sure.”
The technology inside the complex has adapted through the years. Originally built to protect from attacks coming from outside the country, NORAD is now focusing on internal threats as well. After the September 11th Terrorist attacks, NORAD added seats inside its command center for The Federal Aviation Administration. Last year, maritime oversight was also added to the mission.
Lt. Col. Crews says, “Everything that’s up there we know what it is, we know who owns it and we know what potential threat it may have against the United States and Canada.”
But on its fiftieth anniversary, NORAD finds itself in a period of transition. Many of the day to day operations are leaving the mountain for Peterson Air Force Base where NORAD’s counterpart, US Northern Command is headquartered.
Lt. Col. Crews says, “NORAD is looking at getting itself outside the box thinking by combining itself with the NORTHCOM center, so we’re increasing our range of capabilities exponentially.”
US NORTHERN COMMAND was stood up in October of 2002, in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. It coordinates the Defense Department’s homeland defense efforts and the military’s response to natural disasters.
While efforts are underway to bring NORAD’s day to day operations to Peterson Air Force Base, Lt. Col. Crews says Cheyenne Mountain will remain relevant and important to protecting the U.S. and Canada.
The move though, has raised concerns about moving from a ‘hardened facility’ to Building 2 at Peterson. The Government Accountability Office is studying the issue and will issue its report to congress on July 3rd.
