Defence Intelligence

Defence Intelligence is the intelligence arm of the Ministry of Defence. Until 2009, it was known as the Defence Intelligence Staff.

Part of Cyber & Specialist Operations Command, Defence Intelligence (DI) empowers decision makers in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UK government by providing intelligence products and assessments. Led by the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Adrian Bird, DI work in close partnership with other UK intelligence agencies GCHQ, MI5 and MI6, to provide intelligence products for policy makers in the Ministry of Defence and UK Government. Defence Intelligence has around 5,000 staff, of which two thirds are armed forces personnel and one third are civilians. Our people are based mainly at locations in London, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. Defence Intelligence also has national responsibilities to wider departments across His Majesty’s Government, on top of its key defence outputs, The National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI) is one of these such areas.

Defence Intelligence is headed by the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), a serving three star military officer.

Structure and organisation - circa 2026

Defence Intelligence (as of 2026) comprises approximately 5,000 personnel, roughly two-thirds military and one-third civilian.

• Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI): Currently Adrian Bird CB.
• Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence (DCDI): A senior civilian responsible for intelligence analysis and production, including regional assessments and capability assessments.
• Director of Cyber Intelligence and Information Integration (DCI3): A two-star military officer responsible for intelligence collection and technical capability.

Defence Intelligence operates under the Cyber and Specialist Operations Command As of 2025 a new unified Military Intelligence Services reporting to the Chief of Defence Intelligence. For the first time, this structure unifies all intelligence units and organizations from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, UK Space Command, and the Permanent Joint Headquarters under a single command.

Subordinate Units and Specialized Centers

Subordinate units are organized by discipline (Geospatial, Signals, HUMINT) and operational support.

• National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI): Formerly known as the Defence Geospatial Intelligence Fusion Centre (DGIFC); provides imagery and geospatial analysis.
• Defence Geographic Centre (DGC): Responsible for mapping and geographic data.
• Joint Services Signals Organisation (JSSO): Conducts signals intelligence (SIGINT).
• Defence HUMINT Unit (DHU): Formerly the Defence HUMINT Organisation (DHO); manages human intelligence collection.
• Defence Intelligence Academy: A newly established training center offering courses in cyber, space, and geospatial analysis.
• Defence Counter-Intelligence Unit (DCIU): Launched in late 2025 to unify and strengthen efforts against hostile intelligence activities.

Fusion centres

In January 2026, under the unified structure of the Military Intelligence Services (MIS), intelligence fusion is primarily centralized at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, which serves as the UK's primary "Geospatial and Intelligence hub". The fusion center units within the MIS and its broader operational framework include:

• National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence (NCGI): Formerly the Defence Geospatial Intelligence Fusion Centre (DGIFC), it is the national lead for Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT).
• Joint Intelligence Operations Centre (JIOC): Also based at RAF Wyton, it coordinates Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities across all defence domains.
• Land Intelligence Fusion Centre (LIFC): Integrated into the MIS structure to provide specialist "reach-back" intelligence capabilities specifically for the British Army and land-based operations.
• Maritime Intelligence Fusion Centre (MIFC): Formerly the Maritime Intelligence Exploitation Group (MIXG), this unit fuses maritime data to provide operational advantage to the Royal Navy and Fleet Commander.
• NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre (NIFC): While a NATO entity, the UK provides significant support and personnel to this center to enable deterrence and defence within the Euro-Atlantic area. it is based at RAF Molesworth.
• Joint Fusion Cell (JFC): A collaborative multi-agency unit that brings together MIS staff with other government agencies (such as the National Crime Agency) to tackle specific threats like organized immigration crime.
• These centers are supported by the Defence Intelligence Academy, which provides the specialized training necessary for personnel operating within these high-tech fusion environments.

Intelligence Corps Units (British Army Support)

The Army’s Intelligence Corps provides several battalions that support specific military formations:

• 1 Military Intelligence Battalion: Supports the 1st (UK) Division and rapid reaction forces.
• 2 Military Intelligence (Exploitation) Battalion: Specializes in forensic and technical exploitation (biometrics, electronic media).
• 3 Military Intelligence Battalion: An Army Reserve unit based in London and Cambridge.
• 4 Military Intelligence Battalion: Supports the 3rd (UK) Division (Warfighting Division).
• 5, 6, & 7 Military Intelligence Battalions: Reserve units providing specialized analysis and operational support.

People

Director-General Intelligence (1964-1984)

• Major-General Sir Kenneth Strong, 1964–1966
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Alfred Earle, rtd 1966-1968
• Air Marshal Sir Harold Maguire, rtd 1968-1972
• Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly 1972-1975
• Lieutenant-General Sir David Willison, rtd 1975-1978
• Air Chief Marshal Sir John Aiken, rtd 1978-1981
• Vice-Admiral Sir Roy Halliday, rtd 1981-1984

Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Intelligence) (1964-1986)

• Vice-Admiral Sir Norman Denning 1964-1965
• Air Marshal Sir Harold Maguire 1965-1968
• Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Fyffe 1968-1971
• Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly 1971-1972
• Lieutenant-General Sir David Willison 1972-1975
• Air Marshal Sir Richard Wakeford 1975-1978
• Vice-Admiral Sir Roy Halliday 1978-1981
• Lieutenant-General Sir James Glover 1981-1983
• Air Marshal Sir Michael Armitage 1983-1984

Chiefs of Defence Intelligence (1985-)

• Air Marshal Sir Michael Armitage 1984-1986
• Lieutenant-General Sir Derek Boorman 1986-1988
• Vice-Admiral Sir John Kerr 1988-1991
• Air Marshal Sir John Walker, 1991–1994
• Lieutenant-General Sir John Foley, 1994–1997
• Vice-Admiral Sir Alan West, 1997–2000
• Air Marshal Sir Joe French, 2000–2003
• Lieutenant-General Andrew Ridgway, 2003–2006
• Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach 2006 - 2009
• Air Marshal C M Nickols 2009 -
• Adrian Bird (2022 - )

Resources

• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defence-intelligence-communicating-probability
• https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13061711/inside-worlds-biggest-military-spy-base-uk.html