Detecting “Crud” Cruise Missiles

Gen. Gene Renuart told lawmakers last week that one of the “greatest challenges” facing his commands—NORAD and US Northern Command—is the ability of someone “to gain access to a lower tech missile that could be launched from somewhere off our shore.” The problem, he said is that “our ability to detect what I’ll call crud cruise missiles is limited to the existing radar systems that we have today,” hence he is “investing in numbers of follow on technologies” under the Command and Control Gap Filler program “to give us sufficient warning … to try to provide some defense.” Renuart emphasized, though, “this is an area we have concern, and we’re continuing to work within the department to expand.” (Written testimony)