Rock Encased Shelters
Northwest Shelter Systems is the only shelter company that offers underground rock encased bomb shelters. This design is based off the NORAD government air defense command center facility in Cheyenne Mountain. NORAD is built inside a solid granite rock mass, which is the ultimate protection in case of a nuclear attack.
NWSS can provide you with the same level of protection if you have the right rocky terrain on your site.
NWSS has the understanding and ability to drill and blast solid rock areas. This process allows your shelter to be complete encased in natural rock. We are able to blast your entire shelter, tunnels, vaults, elevator shafts, etc. into solid rock. Once your shelter area has been prepared we can assist you in building a Nuclear-Biological-Chemical (NBC) sealed shelter into the space. NWSS has certified, highly skilled personnel who have years of experience working on both government and private projects. Our technicians will advise you on the best NBC blast doors, hatches and filtration systems for your shelter. Upon completion of your rock encased NBC shelter, you will have the ultimate in protection and safety from a NBC attack.
More about NORAD:
NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex (NCMC) (NORAD Combat Operations Center [COC], Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center [CMOC], Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station [CMAFS]): Originally, NORAD operated out of a converted hospital at Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. Due to the vulnerability of the original facility it was deemed necessary to construct a suitably hardened structure to protect the sophisticated systems from Soviet nuclear warheads. Construction of the complex was performed by the US Army Corp of Engineers over a four year period (1961-1964). The complex was literally dug out of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs. The complex itself encompasses square feet 196,020 feet of excavated chambers and tunnels within the mountain and is encased in over 1,750’ of granite. The primary excavation chamber consists of three chambers each 45’ wide, 60’ high, and 588’ long; these chambers are intersected by four other chambers measuring 32’ wide, 56’ high, and 335’ long. Within these chambers there are a total of 15 free standing windowless buildings, 12 of which are three stories tall with the remaining being one to two stories. The walls of the building are made of special steel plates and frames that attenuate electro-magnetic pulses (EMP). The buildings themselves are mounted on over 1,300 large springs designed to cushion the nearby shock of a nuclear blast as well as earthquakes. Ultimately, the complex was designed with the intent of withstanding a five megaton weapon at a range of 1½ miles with a 70% continued operations. The main entrance to the complex is via a tunnel leading to a pair of steel blast doors weighing 25 tons. The primary source of electrical power came from the city of Colorado Springs, but the back-up power system consisted of six 1,750 kilowatt diesel generators. The water supply is composed of four reservoirs with a capacity of 1.5 million gallons each. Only one reservoir is for domestic use, while the other three are for industrial needs. A sophisticated air filtration system removes harmful germs and or radioactive and chemical particles via a series of chemical/biological/radiological (CBR) filters. As a self-sustaining facility NCMC contains a dining facility, medical and dental facility, pharmacy, 2 fitness centers, a small post exchange, chapel, and barber shop. Using advanced early warning radar, sophisticated electronics, and super*computers, NORAD monitored data from an array of tracking systems from regional threats to near Earth orbit in order to protect satellites and even the space shuttle. NORAD was a joint North American effort to provide early warning of any missile, airborne, or space threat to North America via a centralized collection and coordination facility using an intercontinental system of satellites, radars, and sensors. This data was intended to provide warning of a ballistic missile attack and assist with defense of the USA and Canada’s air sovereignty serving as the central controlling agency for air defense operations to counter enemy bombers or missiles. Additionally NORAD had the capability to provide theater ballistic missile warning for the USA and her allies.
For more information about NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex visit http://www.norad.mil/Newsroom/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/578775/cheyenne-mountain-complex/