Introduction

ADF overseas deployments always include intelligence components, at different levels of command. Official documents rarely describe these intelligence arrangements for current or recent deployments, but it is possible to describe the basic or normal structure of ADF tactical intelligence on the basis of what is known from non-official sources about deployments in the recent past. These include information about ADF intelligence organisation on overseas deployments, and about the information technology and systems that support these activities.

Intelligence organisation

The most important source on organisational issues is John Blaxland’s short study of the organisation of the Army’s 3^rd Brigade when it deployed in 1999 as the core of the Australian contribution to InterFET: “Operations in East Timor: Experiences of the Australian 3d Infantry Brigade Intelligence Officer“, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, October-December 2001. Blaxland is also the author of the principal history of Australian signals intelligence, Swift and Sure: A History of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, 1947 to 1972, (Signals Committee, Melbourne, 1999).

Intelligence cell (S2) of 3rd Brigade, deployed as WESTFOR, InterFET, 1999

Information systems

The National Command Element intelligence officer will have access to Defence intelligence information systems. One of these is the Joint Intelligence Support System (JISS), run by the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO), and accessed by a number of Defence and security agencies.

Government sources

Analysis and commentary

Operations in East Timor: Experiences of the Australian 3d Infantry Brigade Intelligence Officer, John Blaxland, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, October-December 2001.

See also

• ADF – intelligence
• ADF – Afghanistan – Intelligence
• Australian Intelligence Organisations
• Australian-US intelligence – Afghanistan and Iraq
• Joint Mission Analysis Cells
• The Collins Allegations 
• Joint Intelligence Support System (JISS)