OPCON, or more fully the Operational Control Command Control and Information System (OPCON CCIS) was a long term computer project run by the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

History

It started to be developed in 1974, and was initially used operationally as a proof of concept (OPCON PILOT) system for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

during

Operation Corporate The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland I ...

(the Falklands War), and evolved into a wider, "Joint" use when declared Operational in 1986.

Technology

The original role of OPCON CCIS was envisaged as providing an automated message handling system and database for use by

Commander-in-Chief Fleet The Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) was the admiral responsible for the operations of the ships, submarines and aircraft of the British Royal Navy from 1971 until April 2012. The post was subordinate to the First Sea Lord, the professional he ...

(CINCFLEET) headquarters at Northwood. The solution was largely based on commercial ADP equipment, supplied by ICL, and the capital cost of the equipment was stated in 1989 to be of the order of £40 million.House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 Jan 1989
/ref>

References

{{reflist Command and control Royal Navy