the North American Aerospace Defense Command
🔊/ðə ˌnɔːθ əˌmerɪkən ˌeərəʊspeɪs dɪˈfens kəmɑːnd/
🔊/ðə ˌnɔːrθ əˌmerɪkən ˌerəʊspeɪs dɪˈfens kəmænd/
(abbreviation NORAD)
a military defence organization established in 1957 by the US and Canadian air forces. It has a large underground base in Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs, Colorado, to provide early warning of air attacks.