Ent Air Force Base, former United States Air Force base in Colorado, United States
Ent Air Force Base was a military installation in Colorado Springs covering approximately 47 acres with long, flat buildings, radar stations, and open spaces. The facility contained command centers, barracks, and communication towers that were partially repurposed for the Olympic Training Center after closure in 1976.
Established in 1943 as a tent camp during World War II, the base was formally activated as Ent Air Force Base in 1951 and named after Major General Uzal Girard Ent. It became the center for North American air defense during the Cold War, hosting NORAD from its founding in 1957 until 1966.
Access to the site is generally available Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and entry is free. Visitors should be aware that portions of the grounds are now used for the Olympic Training Center and not all areas are open to the public.
The Chidlaw Building served for decades as the NORAD headquarters, operating as the nerve center for monitoring Soviet aircraft and missiles from great distances. Some of these historic structures remain visible today, bearing witness to the intense surveillance focus placed on airspace monitoring during the Cold War.
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