COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a military installation primarily used for space and missile defense. Buildings inside the mountain house key units and organizations, including the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), and the United States Space Force Units. When the team arrived at Cheyenne Mountain, Space Force leadership tasked the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron (EIS) with installing redundant fiber optic cable for the complex.
“The fiber optic cable allows users to transmit voice, data, and other forms of communication over long distances,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. David McCarney, 210th EIS team chief. “The secondary cable will allow the complex continuous network access if the primary cable goes down.”
One of the techniques the team used to install the cable is jetted fiber. Jetted fiber fills a tube with pressurized air and sends the cable through the tube. It is faster and more efficient and technique for the team. Installation at high altitudes in the summer heat led to unexpected challenges for the team.
“We have been using jetted fiber for a couple of years,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joshua Frandrup, 210th EIS. “Here at Cheyenne Mountain, we ran into some difficulties from hot temperatures and altitude. The air compressor was blowing hotter air than expected. [As a result] the cable bent, and the fiber snapped.”
The team worked together to devise a solution. They discovered that the cable would not bend or snap if pushed through at a slower rate and lower pressure. Using this strategy, the team successfully to installed over 3,000 feet of fiber optic cable, which serves as a backbone for Cheyenne Mountain operations.
Michael Hovenkamp, 21st Communication Squadron Site Director at Cheyenne Mountain, expressed his gratitude for the team and what they accomplished. “They modernized the infrastructure,” said Hovenkamp. “It was great having the 210th here to help with their skills and expertise.”
Story by Airman Cailey Aandal
Minnesota National Guard Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July , 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July , 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 30, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 30, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 30, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 30, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals.
(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 31, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron install over 3,000 feet of secondary fiber optic cable at Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, Colorado Springs, Colo., July 31, 2024. The mission of the 210th EIS is to deploy worldwide to install, relocate, and remove telecommunications systems and bridge the gap between civil engineers and information technology professionals. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Cailey Aandal)
