Intel sharing

French official details intelligence-sharing relationship with Five Eyes

French officials are regularly attending meetings in the United States’ capital to share information with the Five Eyes intelligence group, reflecting a capability to gather and exchange high-value data, according to French Air Force Col. Cyril, of the French DRM military intelligence agency.

“There was a realization that we have intelligence which counts,” he said at a Monday briefing of a French defense journalists association. Cyril gave only his first name at the request of Air Force Gen. Jean-François Ferlet, head of the DRM.

Those committee meetings consist of the “Five Eyes plus France,” Cyril said, referring to Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S., who are in an allied partnership that routinely exchanges intelligence.

France joined that high-level group about a year ago, reflecting a strengthening of ties between Paris and Washington since 2013-2014, he said.

Paris has an “autonomous capability,” which cuts dependence on allies, he said. That allows a correlation and an exchange of information with allies, particularly the American services.