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.
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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".
SACCS consisted of three main parts:
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.[1] [2] [3]
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.
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.[7]
A brief glimse of a SACCS Local Communication Center (LCC) mainframe can be seen during the ICBM launch control center scenes in the film "WarGames".
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