There are military bases around the globe that aren’t so conventional. Some are feats of engineering, some are too secretive for their own good, and some are just plain out there. These bases transcend their defense role–each is a testament to human creativity, resourcefulness, and sometimes simply surviving under the most taxing of conditions. Let’s take a look at 10 of the strangest military bases on earth.
10. Gibraltar: The Rock-Bottom Fortress
Sitting atop the southernmost part of the Iberian Peninsula, Gibraltar has been a British fortress for centuries. What makes it all the more remarkable isn’t so much its position defending the Strait of Gibraltar–it’s its 35-mile labyrinth of tunnels dug into limestone. Inside these tunnels, soldiers train in obstacle courses, live fire exercises, and simulated urban terrain, all overseen by the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. It’s a fortress that’s half-below-ground.
9. Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Colorado: A Bunker in the Rockies
Hidden deep inside a granite mountain, Cheyenne Mountain Complex feels like something out of a sci-fi movie. Built to withstand massive attacks, it features enormous blast doors and rooms suspended on giant springs to absorb shock. Far from fiction, this Air Force station is a vital hub for monitoring threats and space operations, proving that sometimes the safest place is half a mile underground.
8. Siachen Glacier, India and Pakistan: The Sky-High Battlefield
There are few military posts as perilous as the Siachen Glacier. Perched at more than 21,000 feet, troops endure brutal cold, avalanches, and oxygen-poor air. Although the political dispute has diminished somewhat, the glacier is still one of the world’s highest and most forbidding military areas, where even survival is a constant challenge.
7. Gakona, Alaska: The Signal Laboratory
Deep in the Alaskan wilderness, a series of antennas stretches across the terrain to create one of the most unconventional military research facilities. There, the ionosphere and electromagnetic activity are researched by scientists and military officers. Appearances may be deceiving on the outside, but the activities conducted here have produced speculation and conspiracy theories for decades, creating an aura of mystical intent.
6. Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean: The Isolated Stronghold
Located on a small atoll far from any continent, Diego Garcia is an invaluable center for world operations. The proximity to possible landmasses and far distance from any make it the best place for satellite tracking and logistics, and then the seclusion of the environment gives it privacy and security. This blend of strategic value and seclusion makes it one of the strangest bases in the world.
5. Dugway Proving Ground, Utah: The Testing Grounds
Stretching over nearly 800,000 acres of desert, Dugway Proving Ground has served as a facility for the testing of chemical and biological weapons since World War II. The base features full-scale models of enemy villages utilized for live testing. These days, it is still a location where innovation goes hand in hand with prudence, and the emptiness of the desert is part of its safety plan.
4. Thule Air Base, Greenland: Life on the Edge of the Arctic
Being the northernmost U.S. military facility, Thule Air Base is in one of the world’s most unforgiving climates. The site can be accessed only for short summer periods, and it has above-ground utilities because of permafrost. Its buildings are designed to resist extreme cold. Early warning systems and space observation are managed from this distant outpost, demonstrating that the military can function even at the world’s edge.
3. Harvey Point, North Carolina: The Covert Training Facility
Tucked away behind cypress swamps and towering security fences, Harvey Point has been the unobtrusive training facility for counter-terrorism missions for decades. Its capabilities consist of full-scale mock-ups of structures for tactical exercises, making it a rare combination of hands-on training and top-secret anonymity. The significance of the base is preparation and accuracy, not firepower.
2. Mount Weather, Virginia: The Subterranean Sanctuary
Under the hills of Virginia is a secret facility to safeguard top leaders and vital operations during catastrophes. The history of Mount Weather began in the 1800s and developed into a totally underground center by the 1960s. Now it waits to serve as a residence for high-ranking officials, run emergency communications, and orchestrate crisis management–a fascinating mixture of history, secrecy, and survival strategy.
1. Indian Island, Washington: The Ammunition Lifeline
Naval Magazine Indian Island is one of the West Coast’s remaining deep-water ordnance plants. Each vessel departing the Northwest stops here for ammunition. Its 100-plus subterranean magazines are not just a logistical requirement but also a badge of honor for engineering efficiency and military forethought, maintaining a critical area supplied discreetly but efficiently.
From frozen glaciers and desert testing grounds to clandestine bunkers and remote atolls, these bases show that defense is not merely about firepower. It’s about flexibility, creativity, and sometimes, the capacity to survive in harsh or unfamiliar environments.
