Transmissions (Weapon)

The weapon of the Transmissions , “the weapon which links the weapons” is the Weapon of the Army specialized in the implementation of the communication and information systems (SIC) military.

History

The transmissions became a weapon only on one relatively recent date (1942), but their history and already long.

1793

It is with the Ministère of the War that is entrusted by the Convention, in 1793, the responsibility for the first connections Chappe, and it is only after the re-establishment of peace, in 1798, that is created to manage them, a particular service, the Administration of the Télégraphe S, which concerns the ministry for the Interior and detaches near the armies where necessary the means which are necessary for him.

1867 - 1899

The commission chaired by the marshal Niel, who is charged to study a reform of the army after the vexations of the Campagne of Mexico, makes adopt the creation of a service Télégraphique with the armies, whose means will be engaged in a disastrous way during the countryside of 1870. The conclusion, a little hastily drawn, is that this formula is unsuited. Also one returns from there, in 1895, to call upon the Administration of the telegraphs.

Part of the personnel of this administration is militarized in the event of war, to form what one calls then, units of “Blue the” because of the color of the facings of the uniform carried by this militarized personnel. It is in remembering these units that the weapon of the transmissions will adopt the “blue-of-sky” like color of tradition.

1900 - 1918

A new distribution of the responsibilities, near to that proposed in 1867 is adopted in 1900. It gives birth on July 14th, 1900 to the first unit of the history of the transmissions the 24e battalion of the 5 {{E}} regiment of the genius which, the 1e January 1913 becomes the 8 {{E}} regiment of the genius. It settles then with the Mont Valérien.

Throughout the First World War, the 8th regiment of the genius will remain the single unit of Sapeurs telegraphists. It finishes the war with a manpower of 55.000 men, including 1.000 officers. The First World War is the first conflict in which the military Télécommunications played a big role. It is also that which sees the birth of what will become, later, the electronic Guerre (listenings and radiogoniometry).

As of 1921, the 8th regiment of the genius gives rise to the ancestors of the current units: 41 {{E}} battalion of the genius to the Morocco, 43 {{E}} battalion of the genius to Beirut, 42 {{E}} battalion of the genius to Mainz and 48 {{E}} battalion of the genius, which will become the 18 {{E}} regiment of the genius to Toul, the 10 {{E}} battalion of the genius which gave rise to the 45 {{E}} regiment of the genius to Hussein Dey, the 28 {{E}} regiment of the genius, in 1930 with Montpellier, the 38 {{E}} regiment of the genius to Montargis…

1939 - 1942

The difficulties to communicate tested in May 1940 highlight an insufficiency of means and the need for withdrawing the transmissions from the supervision of the genius. June 1st, 1942, by ministerial decree n° 3600/EMA/1 of May 4th, 1942, the transmissions become a weapon distinct from the genius, within the army of armistice.

Less than six months after the creation of the weapon of the transmissions, the unloading combined in North Africa involves the invasion of the free Zone by the German army, and the end of the army of armistice. Nevertheless, the general Merlin takes with Algiers the destiny of the weapon in hand. The transmitters take again the combat in the campaigns of Tunisia, of Italy, France and Germany.

In order to privilege the engagement of the men to the combat, the Merlin general opens the access of the transmissions to the women to occupy of the telephone and telegraphic posts of Centraliste S, and of radio operator owners. Is born thus the female body from the transmissions. These specialists will be commonly called “Merlinettes”. Some will take part in the campaigns of Italy, France and Germany.

During the black years of the Occupation, a great number of transmitting demobilized army of armistice, are found in the Clandestinité where they serve as “radio” within the various resistance networks.

In the memory of their sacrifice, the flag of the 8th regiment of transmissions, in the capacity as” ancestor” of all the regiments of the weapon, is the only emblem of the French Armies to raise the inscription RESISTANCE.

1944 - 1951

The transmissions acquire the structures which confer really the row to him of a weapon with whole share.

Creation on December 1st, 1944 of the School of Applicatrion of the Transmissions (EAT) in Montargis, starting from elements of the center of organization of the transmissions n°40 of Algiers, transferred in France.

Creation, on April 1st, 1945 of the Direction of the inspection of the transmissions in Paris.

January 12th 1951 the pope Pie XII decides to make Archange Gabriel, messenger of God, patron saint of the transmissions. It is celebrated each year on September 29th, and concretizes the new dimension of the weapon.

1946 - 1962

The wars of Indo-China (1946-1954) and of Algérie (1954-1962) see the emergence of the average mobiles and protected.

In Indo-China, the radio operator remainder principal means of communication on the ground to lead operations and to ensure the support of the stations isolated in the jungle. The installation of a network of radio-relay Systems makes it possible to carry out a territorial framework of the transmission resources.

In Algeria, to face the main issue of the equipment in material, new range of radio-relay systems is launched. For the first time a total system of transmissions made up of hertzian, radio and telegraphic supports appears making it possible to combine the use of telegraphy and telephony. Its use is a determining factor for filled up forces.

With the creation of the autonomous Company of listening and radiogoniometry (CAER) in 1949 in Indo-China, the electronic war takes a new dimension. This rise to power is concretized by creation in 1958 of the 785e company of transmissions intended to try out and adapt equipment to specificities of the actions of electronic war.

In this phase of rise to power, the evolution of the equipment and systems implemented made it possible the weapon to continue and become the weapon of the command.

1962 - 1977

Nuclear power independent developing a strategy of dissuasion which is clean for him, France must obtain specifically military means of transmissions of the orders. The events of May 68 accelerate its realization by highlighting the need, in the event of serious crisis, to have military lines independent of the circuits postal and telecommunications authorities, in particular to activate the operational Défense of the territory (DOWRY). RITTER (integrated Network of the transmissions of the Army) will be born. The deployment of the network requires a reorganization of the structures of the weapon and the transformation of the groups of exploitation into regiments of infrastructure.

The 708e electronic battalion of war becomes in 1967 the first unit to carry name “war electronic”. The 44e regiment of transmissions east creates in 1971 and appears, in 1974 the first electronic system of weapon of war HELLEBORE (Together of Localization And Jamming of the Enemy Radio Waves).

1983

To adapt to the extreme mobility of the operation, with the power of fires and the very short response times, the weapon of the transmissions works out flexible a system of filled up, sure, fast, entirely digitized and automated: the Network integrated of the automatic transmissions (RITA) which makes it possible the radiotelefony to make its entry in the military systems, in advance on the civil radiotelefony. In 1985, the American army allured by the French system, decides to equip its transmissions with the technology of commutation used in the RITA.

The electronic war obtains a second regiment: the 54e regiment of transmissions to Haguenau.

1987 - 1992

The year 1987 constitutes a particularly important stage for the strategic component. She sees the launching of the digitalization of the RITTER (project RITTER III), the beginning of the installation of RITA HCN (RITA of the national high command], the operational startup of the Grid system of digitized information of the Army (RETINAT), compatible with the civil network TRANSPAC.

The electronic system of war of before (SGEA) is brought into service in 1990 within 44e RT.

1992

“In the future, the Master of the electron will override the Master of fire” . This sentence, pronounced by the general Monchal, chief of staff of the Army, announces one period of major change, particularly centered on the research of the control of information. Thus, being based on teaching drawn from the War of the Gulf, the interconnection between the components tactic and strategic increases it and makes it possible it to have a single and total system since the theater of operations, to the metropolis, thanks to the contribution of the System of radiocommunications using a satellite (SYRACUSE).

1996 - 2004

This period is marked by a strong interarmisation of the transmissions fields of competence, and by a marked integration of the most modern technologies. The operational System made up starting from the networks of the armies (SOCRATE), gathers the networks of the three armies by developing the use of supports per fiberoptic. At the same time, the modernization programs of the transmission resources of the garrisons of the Army (MTGT) and RITA 2nd generation (or RITA valo or RITA-NG), integrate protocol Internet (IP: Internet Protocol) thus offering to the command the access to new services like Internet, Intranet, the supports of Videoconference.

The whole of goniometry and interception in decametric band (the AEGIS) made its appearance in 1996, whereas are undertaken studies for the development of Drone S of war electronic.

With the wire of its sixty years of existence, the weapon of the transmissions acquired its notoriety while knowing to integrate new technologies, making evolve the systems to the implementation of a single and total system for better satisfying the needs for the command.

See too

• Tactical

• Regiments of transmissions of the French Army