Strategic Automated Command and Control System

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.

Nomenclature

When originally developed, SACCS stood for "SAC 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".

Layout

SACCS consisted of three main parts:

1. The Data Display System, which consisted of
   1. The Data Display Generators (film printers, character generators, etc)
   2. The Display Subsystem (projectors, control consoles)
2. The Data Processing Central (or System), which consisted of redundant AN/FSQ-31V computers
3. The Data Communication System, which consisted of
   1. The Electronic Data Transmission Control Center (EDTCC or just TCC)
   2. Encryption/Decryption Subsystem (Crypto)
   3. High Speed Data Transmission Equipment (Modems)

Architecture

Block Diagram: SAC Automated Command and Control System (465l)

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 IBM 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.    

Chronology

• 1958
  • 11 February - Headquarters United States Air Force 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.
• 1968
  • 1 January - SACCS attains operational capability
• 1975
  • 6 October - With the replacement of the AN/FSQ-31V computers with Honeywell 6080s, SACCS is officially integrated with WWMCCS. The AN/FSQ-31V machines were decommisioned in November.

Elements

Maintenance on the SAC HQ SACCS system is performed by the 55th Strategic Communications Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. 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, Guam for support to SAC forces. Its current disposition is unknown.

Film

A brief glimse of a SACCS Local Communication Center (LCC) mainframe can be seen during the ICBM launch facility scenes in the film "WarGames".

Photos

Command Data Buffer configuration

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 facility

See also

• Post Attack Command and Control System (PACCS)
• Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS)
• Ground Wave Emergency Network (GWEN)
• Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network (MEECN)
• Survivable Low Frequency Communications System (SLFCS)
• Primary Alerting System (PAS)