Intelligence

DRM - Directorate of Military Intelligence
Direction du Renseignement Militaire

The DRM was created to solve intelligence shortcomings observed during the Gulf War at the instigation of the then-Interior Minister Pierre Joxe. The DRM was formed from the Military Intelligence Exploitation Center [CERM - Centre d'Exploitation du Renseignement Militaire], the Center for Information on Electromagnetic Radiation (CIREM - Centre d'Information sur les rayonnements Electrotmagnétiques), [Centre l'Interprétation Interarmées de l'Imagerie], the Inter-Army HELIOS Unit [l'Unité Interarmées HELIOS], the Inter-Army Imagery Interpretation Center and the Second Bureau of the Army and Air Force. Naval Intelligence was not absorbed by the DRM remaining under the Foreign Affairs Bureau (BRE) subordinate to the Operating Staff of the Navy in order better to follow naval developments around the world.

The CERM was a tactical intelligence unit subordinated to the chief of staff of the Armed (CEMA). CERM was the smallest and the most secretive unit of French tactical intelligence. It coordinated the intelligence units of the three armed forces, and was responsible for operational and strategic intelligence, while the three Armed Forces were responsible for tactical intelligence. CERM was located at the Inter-Army Intelligence Center (CIFR - Centre de Formation Interarmées du Renseignement (CIFR)) at Strasbourg. Created in 1974, CIFR was also integrated into the DRM.

The DRM's founding decree of 16 June 1992 tasks the Directorate with "planning, coordinating, and leading investigations and the use of military intelligence." But over time the Directorates's responsibilities have gradually evolved from purely military intelligence to intelligence of military interest to the political and strategic intelligence that is the primary resonsibility of the DGSE. The DRM is not a secret service, it is not responsible for internal security, and its employees are not spies, and the DRM has no "operations" branch comparable to the DGSE "action" department. The Directorate's activities include analyzing satellite and other electromagnetic imagery, and it is largely dependent on the collection resources of the Armed Forces, such as the BRGE - Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Regiment.

Its headquarters and activities devoted to administration and current intelligence are located in Paris, while technical and processing Sub-Directorates are located in Creil (Oise).

Since 1992 the DRM has been one of the few defense agencies to recruit new staff. The staff of 1,600 in 1995 is anticipated to grow to 1,900 by the year 2000. In 1995 its staff composition was 50% Army, 23% Aviation, 12%e Navy, 2% General Delegation for Armament, l% Police and 12% civil service. Initially it was headed by General John HEINRICH, former Director of Operations of DGSE, who was replaced on 22 November 1995 by General Bruno ELECTS. The 1994 DRM budget was FF 243,000,000.

The DRM director reports directly to the Defense Ministry, rather than through the Armed Forces chiefs of staff to which the Directorate is attached.

• The Research Sub-Directorate is responsible for human and electronic collection activities at the operational level. For this purpose, it utilizes the services of the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Brigade (BRGE), created 1st September 1993 which is an element of the Headquarters of the Army.
• The Exploitation Sub-Directorate is composed essentially the former CERM and the Inter-Army Imagery Interpretation Center. It is responsible the production and dissemination of intelligence.
• The Proliferation and Armament Sub-Directorateis responsible for study and analysis of threats from nuclear technology proliferation, chemical weapons, and other armaments.
• The Technical Sub-Directorate is responsible for providing technical support to the other elements of the Directorate.
• The Human Allowances and Administration Sub-Directorate is responsible for the recruitment, management and training of personnel. It has resumed prerogatives of the CERM for the formation of the personnel of military information, notably with School Interarmées of the Information and Linguistic Studies (EIRL) to Strasbourg.

Its activities include liaison with the Directorate of the National Police (DGGN) and the Directorate of Defense Protection and Security (DPSD), the Headquarters of the Armed Forces, and to the General Delegation for the Armament (DGA).