Spanish Armed Forces Intelligence Center Explained

Unit Name:	Spanish Armed Forces Intelligence Center
Native Name:	Centro de Inteligencia de las Fuerzas Armadas
Dates:	2004–present
Country:	Spain
Branch:	Defence Staff
Type:	Military intelligence agency
Size:	Classified
Current Commander:	DG Francisco Rosaleny Pardo de Santayana
Garrison:	Retamares Base, Madrid
Website:	Official website

The Armed Forces Intelligence Center (CIFAS) is a Spanish intelligence agency dependent of the Defense Staff (EMAD). It has the function of providing JEMAD, the Ministry of Defense and the Prime Minister with information on risk situations and crises from abroad. In his charge is a director with rank of general.^[1]

It is a unique and joint body of the Spanish Armed Forces in matters of military intelligence, it controls the systems of intelligence and electronic warfare, maintaining the intelligence centers of the Army, Navy and Air Force, functional dependence on the CIFAS. Founded in 2004, it replaces the former Intelligence Division of the Defense Staff.

Functions

• Provide the Chiefs of Staff of the Armies with information for the development of their functions in peacetime missions.
• Provide the Chief of Defense Staff (JEMAD) with the necessary military intelligence for the direction of operations and the design of the strategy.
• Coordinate his task with the General Staff of Defense and its Headquarters.
• To be a complementary military intelligence body of the National Intelligence Center, with whom it is coordinated through the Joint Military Intelligence Plan.
• Collaborate with the intelligence structures of the international organizations of which Spain is a part and with those of the Allied countries.^[2]

Directors

• Brigadier General Valentín Martínez Valero (2004–2008) (Army)
• Lieutenant General Miguel Romero López (2008–2011) (Air Force)
• Vice Admiral Juan Antonio Cuadrillero Pinilla (2011–2013) (Navy)
• General of division Francisco José Gan Pampols (2013–2017) (Army)
• General of division Francisco Rosaleny Pardo de Santayana (2017–2019) (Army)
• General of division Antonio Romero Losada (2019–) (Army)^[3]

Notes and References

1. https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2004-12013 Royal Decree 1551/2004. June 24, which develops the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Defense.
2. https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2014-10520 Royal Decree 872/2014, October 10, which establishes the basic organization of the Armed Forces
3. Web site: Sánchez posa un legionari a dirigir la intel·ligència militar . Quico Sallés . ElMón.cat . 11 October 2019 . 28 October 2019.