In line with most modern naval programs, the level of automation on the Barracuda class has been significantly increased compared to the French Navy's existing Ruby/Amethyst class of nuclear submarines, with a reduced manning level of 60, compared to the 75 required on earlier boats of the same class. According to information provided by France's DCN Shipbuilding Directorate, the command support system fitted to the Barracuda-class nuclear submarines is the ACOM Global Command and Information System, developed for the French Navy, which has been installed and deployed on 50 ships and 15 shore-based command installations.ACOM provides the French Navy with the ability to interoperate both domestically and internationally, including intranet communications and the ability to send and receive e-mail.
The latest version, 4.0, for example, utilizes the latest commercially available software technology. It includes five major configurations that depend on maritime and shore-based command structures and operational use: SYCOM for use by naval commands, shore-based commanders and naval operations centers; OPSMER for use by commanders at sea; TRELO for use by small ships without a chain of command (TRELO includes a read-only 11-number chain subsystem); and CENTAC for use by the French Navy's Atlantique-2 maritime anti-submarine aircraft. They are linked together through the French Navy's existing communications system, which enables shore-to-shore communications via the Naval Data Network, and ship-to-shore comms via military or civil satellite communications systems (standard HF systems for small ships). On nuclear submarines, ACOM is linked to combat systems to exchange tactical information with friendly and neighboring naval forces via the NATO Data Link 11 or 14, and against intelligence information from the RMP Tactical Data Network to improve overall situational understanding.The ACOM hardware utilizes commercial-type workstations with UNLX as the operating system.
The ACOM system supplements real-time situational awareness generated by onboard sensors or tactical datalinks with a provided "wide area network" to support the understanding of commands and the assessment of the overall maritime situation. At higher levels of command, information from disparate sources is synthesized after being merged and validated. These sources include shore-based alert radars, human and electronic intelligence, intelligence from allies, intelligence from naval forces at sea, intelligence from anti-submarine aircraft operating at sea, and intelligence from the Air Force or Army.ACOM maps the synthesized maritime picture and releases it periodically to all parties operating at sea.
The ACOM system contains planning and decision-aiding functions that support the preprocessing of plans and orders and provide recommendations for rapid response. When satellite communications can be utilized, the system supports automated information exchange from database to database between all shore-based command centers and nuclear submarines, and ACOM provides control during operations through measures such as timely logging of data and events, allowing for instantaneous reporting, and amending directives. It can also provide simulation and replay equipment, provide naval ship logistics planning tools with parameters related to maintenance and replenishment status, availability, fuel and ammunition stock levels, and training levels.
ACOM utilizes an Oracle 8.0 relational database management system, which is used on board the ship and on all shore-based SYCOM and CENTAC systems. The database contains two types of information: permanent information primarily related to intelligence, such as ship performance parameters and photographs; and permanent information related to human geography, such as airfield and harbor profiles, exclusive economic zones and territorial sea areas. The databases contain descriptions of shore-based military sites, tactical information such as rules of engagement, class standards, the way in which ships' missions are organized, nautical calendars and astronomical tables. The database also contains a large amount of formatted information, tracks, graphics, operational areas such as screens, and volatile information related to annotations. The operational performance of the system is to receive 3 messages per minute with an average message length of 6,000 characters each; on-line storage of 3 months of intelligence information including 10,000 tracks, 200,000 point tracks, 10,000 maneuvering areas, 3,000 messages, and 1 month of local tactical posture; and unlimited off-line storage capacity. The permanent database is managed by an in-country technology center and is also regularly updated by a national benchmark database.
Of course, such a system could not exist in isolation in the French Navy. From the very beginning of the ACOM development work, the French Navy instructed industry to move closer to NATO standards. This is why all NATO standards are implemented in the ACOM system and why ACOM has full interoperability with its NATO equivalent. In addition to the above interoperability, interoperability with the "Internet Connected World", such as online video telephony, online chatting, and sending and receiving e-mails, was verified during joint exercises with other NATO navies in 1998-1999.