The Intelligence Command () is a two-star command and

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis List of intelligence gathering disciplines, approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist Commanding officer, commanders in decision making pr ...

formation of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

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 The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

and subsequent end of the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, 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 Haguenau (; or ; ; historical ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin Département in France, department of France, of which it is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture. It is second in size in the Bas-Rhin only to Strasbourg ...

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

. The brigade oversaw all

and specialist intelligence units assigned to the

Rapid Action Force The Rapid Action Force (RAF), is a specialized rapid reaction wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India established in October 1992 to deal with riot and crowd control situations. History RAF was established on 11 December 1 ...

. In 1998, following the end to

conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...

, 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 Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

, 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: * Headquarters, Intelligence Brigade, in

** 44th Signals Regiment ''(44éme Régiment de Transmissions)'', in

Mutzig Mutzig ( or ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Bas-Rhin Departments of France, department in Grand Est, in north-eastern France. The commune of Mutzig is located at the entrance of the Bruche (river), Bruche river valley, on the Route d ...

–

Signals intelligence Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...

** 54th Signals Regiment ''(54éme Régiment de Transmissions)'', in Haguenau – Electronic warfare ** 2nd Regiment of Hussars ''(2éme Régiment de Hussars)'', in Haguenau –

Human Intelligence Human intelligence is the Intellect, intellectual capability of humans, which is marked by complex Cognition, cognitive feats and high levels of motivation and self-awareness. Using their intelligence, humans are able to learning, learn, Concept ...

13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment The 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes () or 13e RDP is a special reconnaissance unit of the French Army. It belongs to the French Army Special Forces Command, and therefore to the Special Operations Command (France), Special Operations Comm ...

''(13ème Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes)'', in

Martignas-sur-Jalle Martignas-sur-Jalle (; ) is a commune in the Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. Historically, the town is known to have been the theater of the , where 500 to 600 longbowmen commanded by John Talbot were slaughtered ...

– attached till 2002 and moved to the French Army Special Forces Command ** 61st Regiment of Artillery ''(61éme Régiment d'Artillerie)'', in Chaumont –

UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Drone ...

and Photo reconnaissance ** 28th Geographic Group ''(28éme Groupe Géographique)'', in

** Intelligence Troops Initial Formation Centre ''(Centre de Formation Initiale des Militaires du rang du Renseignement)'', in

Bitche Bitche (English pronunciation: , ; German and Lorraine Franconian: ) is a commune in Moselle department, in the region of Grand Est in northeastern France. It is the Pays de Bitche's capital city, and the seat of the Canton of Bitche and the ...

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 Human intelligence is the Intellect, intellectual capability of humans, which is marked by complex Cognition, cognitive feats and high levels of motivation and self-awareness. Using their intelligence, humans are able to learning, learn, Concept ...

, 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 he brigadeis responsible for the training and operational preparation.".

Organisation

The current organisation of the command is: * Headquarters, Intelligence Command ''(Commandement du Rensuignement)'', in

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

** 44th Signals Regiment ''(44éme Régiment de Transmissions)'', in

–

** 54th Signals Regiment ''(54éme Régiment de Transmissions)'', in

– Electronic warfare ** 785th Electronic Warfare Company ''(785éme Compagnie Guerre Electronique)'', in

Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande (; ; Gallo: ''Saent-Jaq'') is a commune of Rennes Métropole in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France. Population People from Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande are called ''jacquolandins'' in Fr ...

** 2nd Regiment of Hussars ''(2éme Régiment de Hussars)'', in Haguenau –

** 61st Regiment of Artillery ''(61éme Régiment d'Artillerie)'', in Chaumont –

and Photo reconnaissance ** 28th Geographic Group ''(28éme Groupe Géographique)'', in Haguenau ** Joint Centre of Environmental Actions, in

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

– Psychological intelligence ** Joint Intelligence Training Centre ''(Centre de Formation Interarmées au Renseignement)'', in Strasbourg ** Centre of Intelligence Assignment and Training ''(Centre d'Enseignement et d'Entraînement du renseignement de l'Armée de Terre)'', in

Saumur Saumur () is a Communes of France, commune in the Maine-et-Loire Departments of France, department in western France. The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgu ...

** Intelligence Troops Initial Formation Centre/151st Infantry Regiment ''(Centre de Formation Initiale des Militaires du rang du Renseignement / 151éme Régiment d'Infanterie)'', in

Verdun Verdun ( , ; ; ; official name before 1970: Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city in the Meuse (department), Meuse departments of France, department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department. In 843, the Treaty of V ...

– since 2019, previously in

References