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Old 04-02-2019, 12:38 AM
Gelrir Gelrir is offline
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An interesting document about plans for a super-hardened command bunker deep under Arlington, VA.

https://coldwar-c4i.net/DUCC/index.html

It wasn't going to be secret, just indestructible. The "austere" command center would take at least 15 years to be in operation, and would house about 50 persons in about 10,000 square feet of floor space. The "moderate" size version would be 300 persons in 100,000 square feet of space. Cost of the austere version projected at $110 million (as of 1964 planning); the "moderate" version was projected to cost $310 million. Keep in mind that the costs relate entirely to a non-secret project.

Some quotes:

  • "Almost two years is required to arrive at the 3,500 foot depth before construction of the main facility can begin."
  • "The feasibility of maintaining a truly classified location is open to question if survivable and secure communications are to be provided."
  • "It is not feasible, and is in fact counter to the deterrent objective, to attempt to build so extensive a facility in secret."


Of course the Morrow Project is more concerned about secrecy than protection from nuclear attacks; but it's an example on a rough scale of "big bunker planning."

--
Michael B.

Last edited by Gelrir; 04-02-2019 at 03:18 PM. Reason: removed errant parenthesis, duplicated word
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