The battlefield surveillance brigade (BfSB) was a United States Army surveillance/

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers ...

formation introduced from 2006 to 2015. The United States Army planned for the creation and transformation of nine intelligence brigades to a 'battlefield surveillance' role in 2007. The first battlefield surveillance brigade was deployed the same year conducting Surveillance,

Reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers ...

and Intelligence ( ISR) operations. However, gathering information is only a part of the challenge it faces. Along with the structural changes and intelligence capabilities, the sustainment capabilities of the brigade also changed. The United States Army is currently reorganizing these BfSB formations into expeditionary military intelligence brigades. These brigades were designed to be self-sufficient Army modular forces.

Mission

The BfSBs were meant to improve situational awareness for commanders at division or higher so they can focus joint combat power in current operations while simultaneously preparing for future operations. The units had the tools to respond to the commanders needs from unmanned aerial vehicles to signals gathering equipment and human intelligence collectors. One of the major initiatives of the modernization plan involves migrating the army from a division-centric force designed to fight one or two potential major- theater wars toward a modular, brigade-centric force that is expeditionary in nature and deployed continuously in different parts of the world.

Structure

Each BfSB consisted of a headquarters and headquarters company; active component units have two

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from ...

battalions while the

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army Na ...

BfSBs had one; each brigade had a

reconnaissance & surveillance squadron The Reconnaissance & Surveillance Squadron is a specialized unit within the US Army's Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB) that blends ground Cavalry troops with an elite Long Range Surveillance (LRS) Airborne Infantry Company continuing the U ...

consisting of a headquarters troop; two ground troops (Troops A and B) and a

Long-range surveillance Long-range surveillance (LRS) teams (pronounced "lurse") were elite, specially-trained surveillance units of the United States Army employed for clandestine operation by Military Intelligence for gathering direct human intelligence information dee ...

(LRS) company; a signal company (network support company, or NSC); and a brigade support company (BSC). In 2012, the active component brigades started grouping the brigade HHC, the signal company, and the support company under a special troops battalion.

Transformation

Former units consisted of one Regular Army component and two

reserve component The reserve components of the United States Armed Forces are military organizations whose members generally perform a minimum of 39 days of military duty per year and who augment the active duty (or full-time) military when necessary. The reserv ...

detachments, there were both

active-duty Active duty, in contrast to reserve duty, is a full-time occupation as part of a military force. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, the equivalent term is active service. India The Indian Armed Forces are considered to be o ...

and National Guard surveillance brigades, each having a specific

table of organization and equipment A table of organization and equipment (TOE or TO&E) is the specified organization, staffing, and equipment of units. Also used in acronyms as 'T/O' and 'T/E'. It also provides information on the mission and capabilities of a unit as well as the un ...

. The changes made were all part of an Army-wide transition to the Army modular force, future-concept (" Grow The Army Plan" of modernization) proposed by US Army Chief of Staff General Peter Schoomaker in 2007. That plan called for ten Surveillance Brigades. Former US Army Battlefield Surveillance Brigades By 2015, five Battlefield Surveillance Brigades were reorganized into expeditionary military intelligence brigades. The rest were converted to other types of units or inactivated.

References

{{Reflist *

Mission

Structure

Transformation

See also

References