Article by: Capt. Nicola LaMarre, CFINTCOM PAO

Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM)’s first Integrated Mission Team was declared fully operational at the grand opening of a new open-concept, collaborative workspace on September 10, 2019. The event was attended by senior leadership, including the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister of National Defence.

“Our first Integrated Mission Team is focused on a specific problem set. While the first of its kind at CFINTCOM, the concept is not new,” explained RAdm Bishop, Commander CFINTCOM. “We’ve taken best practices and lessons learned from several years of All Source Intelligence Centre (ASIC) operations in Afghanistan, and elsewhere since then, and implemented this at the national, strategic level.”

The concept of intelligence fusion has evolved over decades, but an ASIC was formerly established in 2006 in Kandahar under Op ATHENA. The ASIC concept has since been sealed in Joint Doctrine and is part of the Canadian Army’s organizational structure. Its functions include to execute intelligence collection operations with integral and assigned sensors (SENSE), enable the Commander to identify and effect targets (ACT), and provide Indications-and-Warnings and knowledge of the enemy (SHIELD).

“Housing all elements of the intelligence cycle under one roof, particularly collection assets alongside all-source analysts who take that information and turn it into actionable intelligence or insight for decision makers, has been proven as highly dynamic and effective at the operational level,” said BGen Wright, COS CFINTCOM. “Now, we are building on the operational success, but in support of strategic clients seeking to achieve strategic effects.”

The current Team Lead of this first CFINTCOM Integrated Mission Team, having deployed twice with ASICs under Op ATHENA and Op IMPACT, elaborated on his experiences. “I have seen firsthand how much more effective this structure is compared to the traditional way of doing business – where everyone returns back to their home units and works in silos. This is why I was very excited to learn that IMTs would be stood up at CFINTCOM. I cannot imagine ever returning back to our old way of doing business.”

IMTs have been officially tasked to inform strategic decision makers, provide strategic warning of potential threats to Canadian interests, and supporting the CAF strategic effects and targeting enterprise. Its key clients include the Minister of National Defence, Deputy Minister, Chief of the Defence Staff, Strategic Joint Staff, and other Level 1s such as Canadian Joint Operations Command and Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.

“To meet constantly changing needs at home and abroad, CFINTCOM must evolve to remain effective. The IMT operating concept is a product of this evolution,” concluded RAdm Bishop. “Indeed, one of this IMT’s key roles is looking to the increasingly accessible North and providing essential information needed to protect Canada’s interests in the Arctic.”