Unit Profile
14th Intelligence Company was a special unit of the British Army. The unit was probably formed in 1973. It specialised in undercover surveillance against suspected Irish Republican terrorists in parts of Northern Ireland where regular British Army and police units had difficulty operating.
Its members were known as operators who were drawn from a number of intelligence agencies and the Special Air Service (SAS). Uniquely among British special forces units, it recruited women as well as men. 14th Intelligence Company operations were based on Detachments ('Det') to each of the British Army's three Brigades in Northern Ireland.
It has gone under a number of different names, including:
- 14 Intelligence and Security Company;
- Special Reconnaissance Unit;
- Army Support Unit;
- Joint Support Group;
- Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland;
- the Det (nickname).
It appears to have evolved into the Special Reconnaissance Regiment.
Mission
- Special Reconnaissance
- Intelligence
Raised and Disbanded
- Raised: 1973
Units
- Three detachments
Headquarters
- Belfast, Northern Ireland