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Intelligence Command (France)

The Intelligence Command () is a two-star command and military intelligence formation of the French Army formed following the end of the Cold War and expanded after the 2016 reorganisations.

History

Brigade

In 1993, following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and subsequent end of the Cold War, the French Army was completely reorganised. In 1993, the new structure began to take shape with the new Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Brigade () (BRGE) stood up in Haguenau in Alsace. The brigade oversaw all military intelligence and specialist intelligence units assigned to the Rapid Action Force.

In 1998, following the end to conscription, the army was again reorganised, and the brigade reduced in size and redesignated simply as the Intelligence Brigade ().

In 2010, the brigade headquarters were shifted to Metz, however shortly afterwards the headquarters moved back to Haguenau. By 2016 the brigade comprised around 3,600 soldiers and civilians.

As part of the 2016 reorganisation of the French Army, the brigade was placed under the new Land Forces Command () and expanded to a two-star (division)-sized command.

During its tenure as a brigade-sized formation, the organisation was as follows:

In the French Army, a unit designated as 'group' is a battalion equivalent unit in the combat support formations.

Command

Following the 2016 reforms, the Intelligence Command was formed on 1 July to oversee the intelligence and reconnaissance troops assigned to Land Forces Command. The command today controls; Multi-sensor intelligence, human intelligence, electromagnetic imagery, and geographic troops.

Today the command overseas around 4,300 civilians and soldiers including 430 deployed in Opérations Extérieures (overseas deployments), in self-relief and 200 contributing to the permanent strategic watch from the garrison.

Mission

The command's mission is "the organic authority of the units of research, exploitation and military influence of the land forces. As such he [the brigade] is responsible for the training and operational preparation.".

Organisation

The current organisation of the command is:

  • Headquarters, Intelligence Command (Commandement du Rensuignement), in Strasbourg
  • (44éme Régiment de Transmissions), in Mutzig – Signals intelligence
  • (54éme Régiment de Transmissions), in Haguenau – Electronic warfare
  • (785éme Compagnie Guerre Electronique), in Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
  • (2éme Régiment de Hussars), in Haguenau – Human Intelligence
  • (61éme Régiment d'Artillerie), in Chaumont – UAV and Photo reconnaissance
  • (28éme Groupe Géographique), in Haguenau
  • Joint Centre of Environmental Actions, in Lyon – Psychological intelligence
  • (Centre de Formation Interarmées au Renseignement), in Strasbourg
  • (Centre d'Enseignement et d'Entraînement du renseignement de l'Armée de Terre), in Saumur
  • (Centre de Formation Initiale des Militaires du rang du Renseignement / 151éme Régiment d'Infanterie), in Verdun – <small>since 2019, previously in Bitche</small>

See also

References