The GE 477L Nuclear Detection and Reporting System (NUDETS,[1] NUDETS 477L,[2] Program 477L) was a Cold War "Nuclear Detonation and Radioactive Fall-out Reporting System" for the National Military Command System. Planning/development began "by September 1, 1959, when NORAD had taken over responsibility from CONAD." In February 1961, General Electric and the sensor subcontractor Dresser agreed on a "team proposal" to the USAF. GE's oral proposal to the USAF was on October 18 1961, and in early November the GE/Dresser team was selected from 13 proposals. The contract was completed February 5 1962; specifications were approved June 1962; and the "target cost" and "target fee" amounts were $1,709,755 and $95,000.[3] Lt Col Elmer Jones was the program chief at the System Program Office.[4]
Phase I of NUDETS deployed under the code names Deuces Wild and Thirsty Camel and was a prototype system "in operation in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area and reported data to the NORAD COC for about 20 months (l July 1964 to 27 February 1966)--Chidlaw Building Combined Operations Center in Colorado Springs until Cheyenne Mountain Complex became operational in 1965-6. The "regional data processing center" was at Benton Air Force Station, and the sensors were at sensors located at Benton; Thomas, West Virginia; Manassas, Virginia, and Hermanville, Maryland (RP-54A/Z-227A,).[5] Phase I testing "showed that the data it gave was not reliable" and by May 1965, NUDETS was planned to be cancelled.[6] NUDETS was combined with the Army's Improved Biological and Chemical Detection Warning System to form the NORAD Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) Warning and Reporting System effective 1 January 1966 by NORAD Operation Order 303N-66, 26 November 1965.[7]