James Bond films frequently showcase villain’s secret lairs tucked away in mountains, isolated islands, or architecturally interesting buildings. This lends an element of mystery to their covert activities. In reality, many hidden military bases resemble these fictional hideouts—and there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them. Here are seven of these classified locations.
Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia
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Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia is a secret joint British-American military base located in the Indian Ocean. The site was constructed in 1971 after the native population (the Chagossians) was forcibly removed. It was initially home to 20 deepwater logistics ships, but, eventually, a naval air field was opened and operated between 1981-87.
Although Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia is in a strange location, 1,000 miles from India, it’s proved vital on many occasions. When the Iraq War began, it provided logistical support. Until the Americans could establish their own bases on enemy soil, they were reliant on the island as somewhere for aircraft to land and takeoff.
In more recent years, the area has become an important location for tracking satellites and objects in deep space using Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance.
Cheyenne Mountain Complex
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The Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado once served as the headquarters for the US Space Command (USSPACECOM) and the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). Built during the Cold War, it took advantage of the natural protection provided by the surrounding granite mountain to defend against potential Soviet aerial and nuclear attacks.
The US Army Corps of Engineers excavated the mountain, and the complex became fully operational on February 6, 1967. It was designed to monitor threats to North American airspace, such as foreign aircraft, missile launches, and space systems.
In 2008, its tracking functions were moved to the nearby Peterson Space Force Base. While the complex remains active under the 21st Mission Support Group, it now primarily functions as a training facility and a backup operations center when needed.
US Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll
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During the Second World War, the US performed an amphibious landing on the island of Kwajalein and never left. There were Japanese troops stationed there who were either captured or killed. A secret military base was established there as the conflict drew to a close, acting as a staging area for Operation Downfall – the planned invasion of the Japanese homeland.
Instead of giving up the island when the war ended, the Americans stayed and established it as one of their command centers for nuclear testing in the Marshall islands. As a result, much of the local population was pushed out, and those who remained worked in labor camps.
With the end of the Cold War, much of the nuclear testing was canceled and the size of the US Army Garrison drastically shrank. That isn’t to say that they left completely, as there’s still a military presence on the island. In fact, the Americans have it leased until 2066.
At present, Kwajalein atoll is home to the Space Fence radar, which is used to track space debris and satellites. It’s also one of five ground stations used to control GPS technology.
Yulin Naval Base
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The Yulin Naval Base, operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy, stands as perhaps the most mysterious site on this list. Details about this secret facility are limited, given its location along the Hainan Island coast in the South China Sea. Most of what is known comes from open-source intelligence and satellite imagery, indicating that construction began
sometime around 2000. The base is
believed to be unfinished, with two additional docks still under construction as of 2022.
The base includes both above- and below-ground submarine docks, and satellite images have shown weapons being loaded onto submarines, though the exact types and quantities remain unknown. While it also accommodates warships, the primary purpose of the base is to house nuclear submarines, which access the site through a semi-submerged tunnel carved into the mountainside.
Porton Down
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Porton Down, still in operation today, is the world’s oldest chemical warfare research facility. It’s also incredibly controversial. Located in Wiltshire, England, Porton Down began as the War Department Experimental Station in 1916 and opened in response to the German use of chemical weapons in World War I. Those employed there were tasked with researching possible solutions, as well as improving respirators.
Although it remained open during the interwar period, this secret military base was, again, fully staffed during the Second World War, when the research focused on studying newly-discovered German nerve agents and creating British biological weapons. The main criticism of the establishment was that the tests all took place on human subjects – so-called “volunteers” – who were conned into participating. Many died or suffered long-term health consequences from the tests.
Still in operation, Porton Down holds samples of many deadly pathogens, including anthrax, the Black Plague and Ebola. Those who work there are still active in analyzing mysterious chemicals, viruses and pathogens.
Pine Gap
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This secret military base, located in the Australia Outback, is certainly a sight to behold, with its large white spheres. It’s jointly operated by Australian and American forces – including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Reconnaissance Office.
Despite its remote location, Pine Gap plays an extremely important role in international reconnaissance and intelligence. It’s the control center for many spy satellites, which travel over Russia, the Middle East and China. In fact, the site was chosen specifically because it’s too far away for these signals to be intercepted by spy ships.
Pine Gap was opened in 1970 and initially designed to focus on detecting nuclear threats and Soviet missiles during the Cold War. It has now moved toward supporting the US military by detecting airstrikes, as well as intelligence and data gathering.
Volkel Air Base
Photo Credit: Rob Engelaar / ANP /AFP / Getty Images
There are only three places in the world that don’t show up on Google Maps, including the last entry on our list of secret military bases: Volkel Air Base. It’s not exactly clear why it can’t be found, especially as it’s easily located by those living in the area. The most popular theory is that it has stored weapons for the US Air Force since the Cold War. This hasn’t been commented on by the Dutch Minister of Defence, but leaked documents indicate there are these types of weapons in the Netherlands.
Volkel Air Base was actually created by the occupying Germans in 1940, first for use as a diversionary base for Allied bombings, and, later, as a fully-operational Luftwaffe base. Following Allied attacks on the airfield as part of Operation Market Garden, the Germans were no longer able to use it. The Royal Air Force (RAF) briefly did, however, after they gained control of the area.
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In 1949, the base was used by the Dutch Naval Aviation Service (MLD) for training, before being restored to a functional airfield by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (FNLAF) a year later. It’s still in use today, and may or may not have nuclear weapons.
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