Secret Underground Military Bases Around The World in 2026

Governments don’t build bunkers for show. Underground military bases exist to survive nuclear strikes, protect command and control, and store weapons where satellites can’t see them. Most are classified, but enough is public through declassified documents, satellite imagery, and defense budgets to map the pattern.

Here’s what’s confirmed about underground military bases around the world in 2026, and why they matter.

1. Cheyenne Mountain Complex – USA

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado  

Purpose: North American Aerospace Defense Command [NORAD] alternate command center  

Built into 2,000 ft of granite, Cheyenne Mountain was designed to withstand a 30-megaton nuclear blast. It still functions as a backup for NORAD and US Northern Command. 

   In 2019 the US spent $700M to upgrade its sensors and communications. In 2026 it remains the gold standard for hardened command facilities. The base is 5 acres of tunnels, blast doors, and shock-mounted buildings.

Why it matters: It shows the US maintains a second-strike command capability outside Washington DC.

2. Raven Rock Mountain Complex – USA

Location: Pennsylvania-Maryland border  

Purpose: Alternate Joint Communications Center, aka “Site R”  

Built during the Cold War as a backup Pentagon. It’s designed to house 3,000 people for 30 days without resupply. The facility links the president, joint chiefs, and regional commands if DC is compromised.

   Unlike Cheyenne Mountain, Raven Rock is still actively used for exercises and real-world continuity of government drills.

3. Zhangjiakou Underground Command Center – China

Location: Hebei Province, near Beijing  

Purpose: Strategic command and nuclear deterrence  

China’s “Underground Great Wall” is a network of tunnels estimated at 3,000+ km. The Zhangjiakou facility is the most cited in open-source analysis as a hardened command post for the Rocket Force.

  Satellite imagery from 2024-2026 shows expanded ventilation and tunnel entrances consistent with a modernization program. China doesn’t confirm details, but the scale aligns with a second-strike nuclear posture.

4. Mount Yamantau and Kosvinsky Kamen – Russia

Location: Ural Mountains  

Purpose: Strategic command and continuity of government  

Russia’s Yamantau complex is the most speculated-about underground base. U.S. officials have referenced it since the 1990s as a hardened nuclear command center. 

   Kosvinsky Kamen is confirmed through declassified CIA reports as a command bunker for the General Staff. Both are built into mountains with rail and road access. The goal: survive a first strike and coordinate retaliation.

  In 2026, Russia is expanding tunnel networks around Moscow and Kaliningrad, per satellite analysts, likely for command and logistics.

5. Israel’s “National Management Center” – Israel

Location: Jerusalem area  

Purpose: Government continuity and military command  

Israel’s facility, often called the “Doomsday Bunker,” is built under the Jerusalem hills. It links the Knesset, Prime Minister’s office, and IDF command. 

 It was used during the 2024 Iran strikes as a command node. Israel’s doctrine is to keep leadership and C4ISR systems survivable against missile and drone attacks.

6. North Korea’s Underground Facilities – North Korea

Location: Multiple sites near Pyongyang and Chagang Province  

Purpose: Nuclear weapons storage, missile sites, command  

North Korea has built extensive underground facilities since the 1970s. The Hwasong missile program uses mountain tunnels for assembly and launch. 

   U.S. and South Korean intelligence track at least 20 hardened sites. The goal is to hide nuclear assets from preemptive strikes and satellites.

7. Switzerland’s Civil-Military Bunker Network – Switzerland

Location: Nationwide  

Purpose: Civil defense and military redundancy  

Switzerland has over 300,000 bunkers for its population and military. Many are carved into the Alps and linked to roads and rail. 

   While not “secret,” they’re a model of national resilience. In 2026 Switzerland is upgrading air filtration and power systems to handle chemical and EMP threats.

Why Underground Bases Are Expanding in 2026

1. Hypersonic and drone threats

Above-ground bases are vulnerable to precision strikes. Underground facilities reduce detection and increase survival time.

2. Nuclear deterrence

Both the US, Russia, and China are modernizing second-strike capability. That means survivable command centers.

3. Cyber and EMP protection

Hardened underground sites have better shielding against electromagnetic pulses and cyber-physical attacks on power grids.

4. Data and AI operations

Modern warfare runs on data. Underground data centers for military AI and signals intelligence are expanding in the US, UK, and Israel.

What’s Not Public

Most facilities are classified under national security exemptions. You won’t find floor plans or troop numbers in open sources. What you see in 2026 is construction activity, budget lines for “hardened facilities,” and occasional declassified Cold War sites.

Conclusion 

Secret underground military bases aren’t relics of the Cold War. They’re expanding because modern weapons make above-ground targets easier to hit. The US, Russia, China, Israel, and North Korea all maintain active programs. 

   For smaller nations, the trend is smaller, distributed bunkers for command and civil defense rather than massive mountain complexes.