According to the latest statements by the British Army General Sir Nick Carter, a new unit specializing in psychological operations and social media, to counter and combat the new type of threats that in the information age carry sensitive, sometimes lethal, data and put global security to the test.
This task will be entrusted to the 77 brigade, a unit that will be composed of reservists (42%) and regular troops, and who will be stationed at Hermitage, in Berkshire. The unit, which will effectively recruit from the RAF, Royal Navy and army, will have to play a key role in the 'cyber war', actively fighting the expansion, for example, of Islamist propaganda activities through digital media and social networks, thanks to which the jhiadistas often recruit adepts, communicate with each other by planning attacks and finance themselves. It will be joined to the units that already operate in the field of intelligence, monitoring sensitive and essential information for the maintenance of 'security'.
The 77 ° brigade, of which it will take the name, will be inspired by the Chindits of General Orde Charles Wingate who operated in Burma during the Second World War. From them the new unit will have to inherit the skill of adaptation and tactics of unconventional warfare, to be merged with the spirit of innovation needed to face contemporary challenges.
'Chindits' was the name given to the LPR groups (long-range penetrarion) specialized in unconventional war missions that operated behind enemy lines in the middle of the Burmese jungle. The new Intelligence unit will also be entrusted with the old sign used by the Chindit, depicting a Chinthé: Burmese mythological creature half lion and half dragon.
(photo: MoD UK)
