Denver is not just a large city but serves as a key military stronghold in the western United States.

Colorado has traditionally been a place where the military and defense industry have developed, and Denver is a strategic location concentrated with various military bases, defense companies, and intelligence agencies.

Military Importance of Denver

• Denver is located in the interior of the continental United States, making it less exposed to nuclear attacks or external invasions than coastal areas.
• Near the Rocky Mountains, it provides defensive terrain and is advantageous for hiding military and sensitive facilities.
• With many air force and space-related facilities, it plays a role as a hub for strategic defense and advanced technology research.

Center of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force

• In and around Denver, military bases and facilities related to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the U.S. Space Force (USSF) are concentrated.
• In particular, it plays key roles in the development of space and missile defense systems, satellite surveillance, and maintaining air force capabilities.

Major Military Bases and Facilities

Buckley Space Force Base

• Location: East of Denver in the Aurora area

• Established: 1938 (originally USAF → now a Space Force base)

• Role:

  • Operation of missile warning systems (SBIRS – Space-Based Infrared System)
  • Conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions
  • Space operations training and satellite control

• Features:

  • Originally part of the USAF, it was changed to a USSF base in 2021.
  • Operates a global missile launch monitoring system (detecting ICBMs and missiles from adversaries).

Schriever Space Force Base

• Location: South of Denver near Colorado Springs (COS)

• Established: 1985

• Role:

  • Operation of GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite control center
  • Main operations base for the U.S. Space Force (USSF)
  • Operation of space-based military communication systems

• Features:

  • Core control center for the GPS system used in military operations across the U.S. and overseas
  • Conducts space-based surveillance and communication missions
  • Collaborates with the Department of Defense (DOD) and NASA for space operations

Peterson Space Force Base

• Location: Colorado Springs

• Established: 1942

• Role:

  • Cooperatively operates the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) headquarters
  • Serves as the operational command center for the U.S. Space Force
  • Operates a space surveillance network

• Features:

  • Location of the NORAD headquarters, jointly operated with Canada.
  • Conducts monitoring and command roles for ballistic missile defense systems (BMD).
  • Functions as a strategic support base due to its proximity to Denver.

• Location: Southwest of Colorado Springs, inside the Rocky Mountains

• Established: 1965

• Role:

  • Serves as the command center for U.S. nuclear war preparedness
  • Command facility for NORAD and U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM)
  • Operates missile warning and satellite surveillance centers within an underground bunker

• Features:

  • Designed as a bunker capable of surviving nuclear attacks, located within the Rocky Mountains.
  • Conducts missile defense systems, space surveillance centers, and war command center roles.
  • Currently operates as an emergency preparedness facility but remains one of the key military facilities.

Defense Industry and Military Economy of Denver

Headquarters and Research Institutes of Defense Companies

In Denver and the Colorado region, major U.S. defense companies are located, and military research and development (R&D) is actively conducted.

Major Defense Companies

• Lockheed Martin – Space systems development & missile defense
• Northrop Grumman – Satellite and radar systems development
• Boeing Defense, Space & Security – Military aircraft and space technology
• Raytheon Technologies – Missile defense systems and military communications

These companies lead the development of advanced military technologies in Denver and the surrounding area, and carry out defense projects in collaboration with the Space Force and Air Force.

In the future, with the expansion of the U.S. Space Force (USSF), the military significance of the Denver area is expected to increase, and the development of space defense and AI-based defense systems is anticipated to become more active.