Unit Emblem JARIC

 
Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre
   
 
 
 

 Role and Functions

To accomplish its responsibilities towards the SAAF and the SANDF, JARIC has three roles to fulfill:

Image Intelligence. Being the only facility of its kind in the RSA, the Unit is responsible for the exploitation of imagery, from diverse imagery sources within and outside the military, with the specific purpose of producing image intelligence for the SANDF.

Image Intelligence Support. It is the primary supplier of imagery-based geo- spatial information to the SANDF.

Air Intelligence Training. It is the Unit responsible for SAAF unique Air Intelligence training, a task previously performed by SAAF College (SAAF COL), and SANDF Image Intelligence Training.

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 History

The unit was established on 1 April 1967 and was initially based at AFB Swartkop. The unit was originally a section of the Central Phototechnical Establishment (CPE), but attained unit status during 1969 under the command of Cmdt N .J. Swart.

JARIC occupied a number of historical buildings at AFB Swartkop, which included the original Air Force Headquarters building, and a Mess built for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF's) prior to World War II.

During 1988 building operations started on the new JARIC building at AFB Waterkloof (Project WANKIE). A new era dawned when JARIC moved to AFB Waterkloof and into the brand new specifically built complex. The building was officially opened by the then Chief of the South African Air Force, Lt Gen Jan van Loggerenberg on 26 January 1990.

The big "trek" was finally completed on 2 March 1990 and AFB Swartkop, during a parade and farewell function, said farewell to the unit and personnel on the same day.

On the 1 January 1998 JARIC became the unit responsible for Air Intelligence and Counter Intelligence training in the SANDF, a task previously performed by SA Air Force College.

JARIC needed to approach the digital age and subsequently launched Project PACT, which established the unit at the leading edge of technology. MIICS (Military Image Interpretation Computer System) officially came into its own during 1999/2000. The future of the unit is reliant on technology and therefore what we do today to upgrade and update the systems will affect our output.

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 Unit Emblem

The badge of JARIC symbolises close co-operation between Army, Air Force and Navy. It makes this unit unique. A great deal of JARIC's work consists of the analysis and interpretation of aerial photography and imagery and these aspects are reflected in its badge. The head of an eagle was specifically chosen because of the bird's exceptional capabilities of perception and its ability to fly at great altitudes. On the left half of the flash is a black eagle's head silhouetted against a white background, while the right half consists of a negative lateral inversion of the same image. This colour scheme refers to the positive and negative images associated with photography. The red eyes and tongues reflect the infra-red capabilities used in night photography. The unit's motto is Quarite Et Invenietes meaning Seek and Ye Shall Find. It reflects the tenacity that the unit displays in the intelligence function of the South African National Defence Force and specifically for the SA Air Force.

 

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