Snrith Gulch

Snrith Gulch (: LWD, : KLWD, RAA : LWD), officially known as the International Joint Military Research Base Leadwater, is a joint military research facility owned and operated by the Sierran Royal Air Force and the Brazorian Air Force, located near, West Colorado, Sierra in of the. It includes the Red Mountain Center, a country retreat which hosts international diplomatic meetings between Sierran and Brazorian government officials, as well as other invited dignitaries from other countries during special occasions; Elkmount Airfield, a detached military airfield due 27 miles east across the Brazorian side of the international border near Denver; and the Pettingell Air Force Observatory, a research facility complex that includes a space observatory and a satellite communications center. It is classified as maximum security restricted area by both the Sierran Royal Armed Forces and the Brazorian Armed Forces, and details of its operations and research are highly classified.

Officially, the military facility is used to conduct research on reconnaissance aircraft, missile technology, radar technology, and provide aerial support and command. Since 2010, it has been designated as the center for the Western Anglo-American Joint Air Command, a designed to protect air sovereignty for Sierra, Brazoria, Rainier, and southern Superior, and provide support for the broader air command network in the Conference of American States. Much of the base's laboratory and bunker facilities are located underground. Snrith Gulch includes the 22-mile tunnel between the main complex and the Elkmount Airfiled in Brazoria, which is only accessible from within the general restricted area. It also houses residential and recreational facilities for the base's personnel and staff at the Red Mountain Center. The Center is notable for its use for high-profile meetings during state visits by foreign leaders and officials. Since the facility is jointly owned by Sierra and Brazoria, the two governments often host meetings with one another at the location, and as partnering hosts for international guests. Since 2010, the biannual CAS Convocation takes place at the Red Mountain Center during the second week of June where the heads of state and government from all members of the CAS are invited to join and participate. Snrith Gulch also conducts space research and satellite imagery at the Pettingell Air Force Observatory.

Due to its high security and the sensitive nature of the facility, Snrith Gulch has been the subject of conspiracy theories and urban legends, ranging from claims of to harboring  and  at the site. The Sierran and Brazorian governments did not officially acknowledge the base or disclose the name of the facility until 2006, referring to the facility in the shorthand form as the "Leadwater Base", although its common name, the "Snrith Gulch" appeared as a codename for the area on official surveying maps for years prior to the official acknowledgment. After the official acknowledgment of the base, it has been utilized for a number of widely publicized events involving international leaders. Prior to this, the base was only used strictly for meetings between Sierran and Brazorian officials, often only for military and internal administrative purposes.