Battlefield surveillance brigades in the United States Army


The battlefield surveillance brigade was a United States Army surveillance/reconnaissance formation introduced from 2006–2015. 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 and Intelligence 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 battalions while the Army National Guard BfSBs had one; each brigade had a reconnaissance & surveillance squadron consisting of a headquarters troop; two ground troops and a Long-range surveillance company; a signal company ; and a brigade support company. 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 detachments, there were both active-duty and National Guard surveillance brigades, each having a specific table of organization and equipment.
The changes made were all part of an Army-wide transition to the Army modular force, future-concept 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
UnitPatchComponentHome Headquarters
58th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeMaryland Army National GuardMaryland
67th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeNebraska Army National GuardNebraska
71st Expeditionary Military Intelligence BrigadeTexas Army National GuardTexas
142nd Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeAlabama Army National GuardAlabama
201st Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeRegular ArmyFort Lewis
219th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeIndiana Army National GuardIndiana
297th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeAlaska Army National GuardAlaska
504th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeRegular ArmyFort Hood
525th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeRegular ArmyFort Bragg
560th Battlefield Surveillance BrigadeGeorgia Army National GuardGeorgia

By 2015, all Battlefield Surveillance Brigades were reorganized into expeditionary military intelligence brigades.