As the demand for Navy's intelligence expertise has continued to grow, Navy intelligence professionals have been working hard to keep pace. In April 2009, the chief of naval operations approved and directed implementation of revised naval intelligence manpower alignment and distribution plan.
The plan is an all-inclusive review and alignment of the Navy's intelligence manpower and will entail the establishment of fleet intelligence detachments and the Fleet Intelligence Adaptive Force, reporting to Commander Naval Network Warfare Command (NETWARCOM).
As the fleet intelligence type Commander, NETWARCOM is tasked with executing the plan which will begin this October to be fully implemented by October 2010.
"This plan is necessary to meet current and projected fleet operational requirements with improved intelligence capability while remaining within existing naval intelligence manpower constraints," said Rear Adm. Samuel Cox, director of Fleet Intelligence, based at NETWARCOM.
According to the plan, aircraft carriers and large deck amphibious ships will retain a reduced permanent intelligence force but will be augmented by the fleet intelligence detachments for underway training, deployment and surge requirements. Fleet and operational requirements will be met with rapidly adaptive intelligence capability, within current overall naval intelligence manning. Manpower freed up by the realignment will be realigned to the fleet intelligence detachments (direct support) and Fleet Intelligence Adaptive Force to provide intelligence capability to meet increased fleet demands including maritime interception operations intelligence exploitation teams, Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations, SSGN missions and similar requirements or other priorities identified by operational commanders.
These detachments and the Fleet Intelligence Adaptive Force, which integrates Sailors from different intelligence teams into one group, will be administratively aligned under the authority of NETWARCOM, but when embarked, deployed or operationally employed, they will report directly to the appropriate operational commander.
The Fleet Intelligence Adaptive Force will also provide enhanced intelligence capability to maritime operations centers and serve as the primary source for meeting fleet obligations for individual augmentees.
Chris Koons (NNS)
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