101 Information Warfare Battalion
British Army stand-off information warfare unit in the Land Special Operations Force, known until 2026 as 101 Information Operations Task Force of 77th Brigade
| 101 Information Warfare Battalion (101 IWB)
| |
|---|---|
| Type | British Army hybrid Regular and Reserve information warfare unit |
| Location | Denison Barracks, Hermitage, Berkshire (as listed for 77th Brigade in 2025) |
| Services | Stand-off information activities, open-source intelligence collection, digital information activities, media production |
| Remarks | Known as 101 Information Operations Task Force (101 IOTF) until 2026; part of the Land Special Operations Force since 14 April 2026 |
101 Information Warfare Battalion (101 IWB) is a unit of the British Army within the Land Special Operations Force (LSOF). Until 2026 it was called 101 Information Operations Task Force (101 IOTF) and formed part of the 77th Brigade, the Army's information operations formation.[1][2] The Army described 101 IOTF as "a hybrid specialist unit providing stand-off capabilities and delivering operations in conjunction with 5 IOTF or sovereign operations delivered solely at stand-off as part of Information Operations Task Lines".[1]
Its sister unit is 5 Information Warfare Battalion (formerly 5 Information Operations Task Force), which the Army described as the brigade's "highly deployable" element.[1] In September 2026 the Army said that the two units are "recognised as the Information Warfare Battalions (IWB)".[3]
Role and composition
The British Army's page on the groups of 77th Brigade, online from at least November 2024 until early 2026, named two companies of 101 IOTF:[1][4]
- 201 Company, "a specialist-hybrid sub-unit comprising OSINT Collection, Data Innovation, Digital Information Activities". The page said it was "trained to a high level in web-based communication, security and analysis, with language skills and cultural expertise", and that it "comprises Regular, Reserve, Specialist Reserve and contract personnel".
- 202 Company, "a specialist-hybrid sub-unit producing high quality video, audio and graphic products to industry standard". Drawing on "Regulars, Army Reservists and Specialist Reserves", it was described as "a creative agency in uniform".
The page said that "all of this exists within a well-equipped stand-off facility" providing "Strategic Communications planning", "Narrative Assessment", "Industry standard Broadcast, Print and Social Media knowledge" and "Artist and Graphic Design Specialists".[1]
It said that 101 IOTF recruited specialists from these areas: "Photography, Videography & Post-production"; "Journalism & Writing"; "Marketing & Communication"; "Media relations"; "Social media, Digital content & online influence"; "Information Technology/AI"; "Academia & Research (information/mis-information)"; "Media monitoring & analysis"; and "Measurement & Evaluation".[1]
The same page listed the brigade's other elements as a Brigade Operations Centre, 5 Information Operations Task Force and 6 Military Intelligence Battalion. The February 2026 version also listed a Specialist Mentoring and Coaching Group.[1]
The Ministry of Defence has since withheld the internal make-up of the LSOF's units. In September 2026 it refused to name the "formally designated companies, squadrons and other named sub-units" of LSOF task forces and groups, under section 26(1)(b) (Defence) of the Freedom of Information Act. It did not say whether 201 and 202 Companies still exist under those names.[3]
History
Background in 77th Brigade
The 77th Brigade was announced in January 2015. The Guardian described it as "a special force of Facebook warriors, skilled in psychological operations and use of social media", to be based in Hermitage, near Newbury, "about 1,500-strong and formed of units drawn from across the army".[5] Middle East Eye reported in 2019 that its creation "combined several existing military units such as the Media Operations Group and the 15 Psychological Operations Group" (see Media Operations Group (V) and 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group).[6] In June 2020 an Army Freedom of Information reply listed the brigade's groups as the Defence Cultural Specialist Unit, a Task Group, a Digital Operations Group, an Outreach Group and an Engineer & Logistic Staff Corps Group.[7]
No official source found explains the number "101", or states which of the earlier groups became 101 IOTF.
Future Soldier restructuring
The British Army's Future Soldier Guide of November 2021 showed the units of 77th Brigade by role rather than by number. It listed a "Stand-off Information Activities" unit and a "Deployed Information Activities" unit, each to be restructured by August 2022, with the "Future Station: Hermitage until 2026, then Pirbright".[8] The Army's later description of 101 IOTF as the "stand-off" unit and of 5 IOTF as the "highly deployable" unit matches those two roles.[1]
The Army's 77th Brigade page, as archived in October 2025, gave the brigade's address as "Denison Barracks, Hermitage, Thatcham, RG18 9TP" (see Denison Barracks).[9] No official source found says whether 101 IOTF moved to Pirbright.
Work with law enforcement
The programme of the Internet Intelligence and Investigations Conference 2025, held from 10 to 12 June 2025 at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and organised by CJS Events, listed a session titled "101 Information Operations Task Force - British Army Web Ops Capability - *Law Enforcement Only*" on 12 June 2025.[10] The session page gave no further details.
Transfer to the Land Special Operations Force
A Freedom of Information request of 29 May 2026 quoted an earlier Army refusal (ArmySec/FOI2026/09068) as saying that "77 Brigade no longer exists as a formed unit within Defence". The Army's reply of 23 June 2026 said that the resubordination of 77th Brigade to the Land Special Operations Force, effective on 14 April 2026, "was directed under 'Army Implementation Order B-26-032 – Reorganisation of Land Special Operations'".[2] It said that 5 Information Operations Task Force, 101 Information Operations Task Force and 6 Military Intelligence Battalion now sit under "Headquarters Land Special Operations Force (LSOF)", and listed "101 Information Operations Task Force" among LSOF's units "As of 1 May 2026". It added that "the resubordination did not result in any changes to the location, responsibility or recruitment of the former 77 Brigade subordinate units".[2]
Renaming as an Information Warfare Battalion
By 16 September 2026 the Army listed the unit as "101 IWB". Asked whether "Cognitive Warfare Group" was the formal title of an LSOF formation, the Army replied:
- This is not a recognised or endorsed naming convention for any formation. The units that would comprise this specialism are recognised as the Information Warfare Battalions (IWB), this refers to 101 IWB and 5 IWB that sit within the Land Special Operations Force (LSOF) structure.[3]
The two replies thus place the change of name between 1 May and 16 September 2026. No official order or date for the renaming has been found.
Insignia
Personnel of the Land Special Operations Force wear "the LSOF grey beret with their parent cap badge and the LSOF flash on the left shoulder, while the right shoulder displays the insignia of their unit or parent brigade". The September 2026 reply added that personnel of 101 IWB and 5 IWB "who have completed the mandated initial trade training will be authorised to wear an 'Information Warfare' badge. The badge design has not yet been formally endorsed; however, the intention is to establish it as a new TRF in due course."[3]
People
No commanding officer of 101 IOTF or 101 IWB has been found on the public record.
See also
- 5 Information Warfare Battalion
- Information Warfare Battalion
- Land Special Operations Force
- 77th Brigade
- 6 Military Intelligence Battalion
- 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group
- Media Operations Group (V)
- Rapid Response Unit
- Military Strategic Effects
- British Military Intelligence
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 British Army, 77th Brigade Groups army.mod.uk, archived 22 February 2026 by the Wayback Machine, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Army Policy and Secretariat, LSOF and former 77 Brigade Freedom of Information response ArmySec/FOI2026/10971, 23 June 2026, via WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Army Policy and Secretariat, Land Special Operations Force organisation, nomenclature and formation insignia Freedom of Information response Army/PolSec/FOI2026/17115, 16 September 2026, via WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ British Army, 77th Brigade Groups army.mod.uk, archived 6 November 2024 by the Wayback Machine, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ Ewen MacAskill, British army creates team of Facebook warriors The Guardian, 31 January 2015, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ Ian Cobain, Twitter executive for Middle East is British Army 'psyops' soldier Middle East Eye, 30 September 2019, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ Army Secretariat, Freedom of Information response Army/Sec/21/02/FOI2020/06197 23 June 2020, via WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ British Army, Future Soldier Guide 25 November 2021, pp. 74–75, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ British Army, 77th Brigade Information Operations army.mod.uk, archived 8 October 2025 by the Wayback Machine, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ CJS Events, 101 Information Operations Task Force - British Army Web Ops Capability - *Law Enforcement Only* Internet Intelligence and Investigations Conference 2025, session page, accessed 2 November 2026.