SAC Automated Command and Control System
Encyclopedia
The Strategic Automated Command and Control System (SACCS) is one of myriad command and control systems used to coordinate the operational functions of United States
nuclear forces, specifically intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombers.
Automated Command and Control System". The end of the Cold War hastened the demise of the Strategic Air Command
(SAC) and saw the creation of United States Strategic Command
(USSTRATCOM). The "S" in the SACCS acronym was retconned to stand for "Strategic".
from the development and deployment of the SAGE
system. The Data Processing Central element hardware was originally going to be used as the SAGE II computing element, and is architecturally very similar to the SAGE system computer. In 1956 the Commander In Chief of SAC (CINCSAC), who was General Curtis LeMay
at the time, determined that SAC's command and control system needed improving, as the current system of leased teletype circuits and radio links was too slow to provide realtime communication, which was a necessity during the Cold War
. A government program, eventually designated 465L, coordinated military and industry to provide this system. The 465L program was the predecessor to the current Strategic Automated Command Control System. In 1965, SAC procured the 465L system hardware, which was designed to survive nuclear attack and to provide rapid transmission, processing, and display of information to support command and control of SAC's geographically separated forces. The development of the systems software took somewhat longer, as a system of 465L's scope had never been attempted before. By 1970 the system had been for the most part made operational, and was to remain a stable part of SAC C3 infrastructure until it was replaced by the WWMCCS
.
.
Maintenance on the 15th Air Force SACCS system is performed by the 33rd Communications Squadron at March AFB, CA.
for support to SAC
forces. Its current disposition is unknown.
can be seen during the ICBM launch control center
scenes in the film "WarGames
".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nuclear forces, specifically intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombers.
Nomenclature
When originally developed, SACCS stood for "SACStrategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
Automated Command and Control System". The end of the Cold War hastened the demise of the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) and saw the creation of United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally...
(USSTRATCOM). The "S" in the SACCS acronym was retconned to stand for "Strategic".
Layout
SACCS consisted of three main parts:-
- The Data Display System, which consisted of
- The Data Display Generators (film printers, character generators, etc)
- The Display Subsystem (projectors, control consoles)
- The Data Processing Central (or System), which consisted of redundant AN/FSQ-31VAN/FSQ-31VThe AN/FSQ-31V was a computer made by IBM in 1960 and 1961 for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command . The IBM Model name for the machine was the 4020.Three Q-31 units were built...
computers - The Data Communication System, which consisted of
- The Electronic Data Transmission Control Center (EDTCC or just TCC)
- Encryption/Decryption Subsystem (Crypto)
- High Speed Data Transmission Equipment (Modems)
- The Data Display System, which consisted of
Architecture
History
The SACCS was conceived as an enhancement to the existing manual command, control, and communications and was also an offshoot of the experiences gained by the Air Force and IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
from the development and deployment of the SAGE
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
system. The Data Processing Central element hardware was originally going to be used as the SAGE II computing element, and is architecturally very similar to the SAGE system computer. In 1956 the Commander In Chief of SAC (CINCSAC), who was General Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay
Curtis Emerson LeMay was a general in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent Party candidate George Wallace in 1968....
at the time, determined that SAC's command and control system needed improving, as the current system of leased teletype circuits and radio links was too slow to provide realtime communication, which was a necessity during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. A government program, eventually designated 465L, coordinated military and industry to provide this system. The 465L program was the predecessor to the current Strategic Automated Command Control System. In 1965, SAC procured the 465L system hardware, which was designed to survive nuclear attack and to provide rapid transmission, processing, and display of information to support command and control of SAC's geographically separated forces. The development of the systems software took somewhat longer, as a system of 465L's scope had never been attempted before. By 1970 the system had been for the most part made operational, and was to remain a stable part of SAC C3 infrastructure until it was replaced by the WWMCCS
Worldwide Military Command and Control System
The Worldwide Military Command and Control System was a military command and control system implemented for the command and control of the United States military. It was created in the days following the Cuban Missile Crisis...
.
Chronology
- 1958
- 11 February - Headquarters United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
publishes General Operational Requirement (GOR) #168, for a SAC Automated Command and Control System (SACCS), as the first major documentation of the system - 1 April - Headquarters USAF changes the numerical designation of SACCS from Program 133L to 465L.
- 11 February - Headquarters United States Air Force
- 1968
- 1 January - SACCS attains operational capability
- 1975
- 6 October - With the replacement of the AN/FSQ-31VAN/FSQ-31VThe AN/FSQ-31V was a computer made by IBM in 1960 and 1961 for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command . The IBM Model name for the machine was the 4020.Three Q-31 units were built...
computers with Honeywell 6080s, SACCS is officially integrated with WWMCCS. The AN/FSQ-31V machines were decommisioned in November.
- 6 October - With the replacement of the AN/FSQ-31V
Elements
Maintenance on the SAC HQ SACCS system is performed by the 55th Strategic Communications Squadron, Offutt AFB, NebraskaNebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.
Maintenance on the 15th Air Force SACCS system is performed by the 33rd Communications Squadron at March AFB, CA.
Mobile SACCS
There briefly existed a mobile element to SACCS, in the form of a remote communications van. The van was completed on 12 July 1968, and shipped to Andersen AFB, GuamGuam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
for support to SAC
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
forces. Its current disposition is unknown.
Film
A brief glimse of a SACCS Local Communication Center (LCC) mainframeMainframe computer
Mainframes are powerful computers used primarily by corporate and governmental organizations for critical applications, bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing.The term originally referred to the...
can be seen during the ICBM launch control center
Launch control center (ICBM)
A launch control center , in the United States, is the main control facility for intercontinental ballistic missiles . A launch control center monitors and controls missile launch facilities. From a launch control center, the missile combat crew can monitor the complex, launch the missile, or relax...
scenes in the film "WarGames
WarGames
WarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
".
Photos
Part of the SACCS Replacement Keyboard (SRK), Line Printer Unit (LPU) and associated equipment rack is shown at the right edge of this photo depicting an underground missile launch facilitySee also
- Post Attack Command and Control SystemPost Attack Command and Control SystemThe Post Attack Command and Control System was a network of communication sites for use before, during and after a nuclear attack on the United States. PACCS was designed to ensure that National Command Authority would retain sole, exclusive, and complete control over US nuclear weapons...
(PACCSPost Attack Command and Control SystemThe Post Attack Command and Control System was a network of communication sites for use before, during and after a nuclear attack on the United States. PACCS was designed to ensure that National Command Authority would retain sole, exclusive, and complete control over US nuclear weapons...
) - Airborne Launch Control SystemAirborne Launch Control SystemThe United States' Airborne Launch Control System is a method of assured command and control of nuclear weapons, specifically ICBMs and SLBMs...
(ALCSAirborne Launch Control SystemThe United States' Airborne Launch Control System is a method of assured command and control of nuclear weapons, specifically ICBMs and SLBMs...
) - Ground Wave Emergency NetworkGround Wave Emergency NetworkThe Ground Wave Emergency Network was a command and control communications system intended for use by the United States government to facilitate military communications before, during and after a nuclear war...
(GWENGround Wave Emergency NetworkThe Ground Wave Emergency Network was a command and control communications system intended for use by the United States government to facilitate military communications before, during and after a nuclear war...
) - Minimum Essential Emergency Communications NetworkMinimum Essential Emergency Communications NetworkThe Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network is a network of systems providing uninterrupted communications throughout the pre-, trans-, and post-nuclear warfare environment...
(MEECNMinimum Essential Emergency Communications NetworkThe Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network is a network of systems providing uninterrupted communications throughout the pre-, trans-, and post-nuclear warfare environment...
) - Survivable Low Frequency Communications SystemSurvivable Low Frequency Communications SystemThe AN/FRC-117 Survivable Low Frequency Communications System was a communications system designed to be able to operate, albeit at low data transfer rates, during and after a nuclear attack....
(SLFCSSurvivable Low Frequency Communications SystemThe AN/FRC-117 Survivable Low Frequency Communications System was a communications system designed to be able to operate, albeit at low data transfer rates, during and after a nuclear attack....
) - Primary Alerting SystemPrimary Alerting SystemThe Primary Alerting System , was a network of land-line connections used by the Strategic Air Command for command and control of its nuclear forces.-See also:*Post Attack Command and Control System *Airborne Launch Control System...
(PASPrimary Alerting SystemThe Primary Alerting System , was a network of land-line connections used by the Strategic Air Command for command and control of its nuclear forces.-See also:*Post Attack Command and Control System *Airborne Launch Control System...
)