Fergie's Tech Blog

Defense Tech: Relocating NORAD Facilities Fraught With Security Risks

Michael de Yoanna and Bill Gertz write in The Washington Times:

Critics say a decision two years ago to move the operations center of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to the basement of an office building on Peterson Air Force Base in nearby Colorado Springs and to disperse other missions at the mountain could undermine U.S. national security.

According to military and defense sources familiar with the missions and U.S. government documents obtained by The Washington Times, the move — billed as a cost-cutting measure — received insufficient government review, violated previous Pentagon directives, may have broken U.S. law and has left the United States less able to track potential threats and the operations center more vulnerable to attack.

"We see decisions like closing Cheyenne Mountain that are driven for cost purposes only, not military requirements," said Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney. "Cheyenne Mountain should remain an active facility but cost pressures are driving combatant commanders to make riskier decisions."

posted by Fergie @ 10/05/2008 10:16:00 AM