The Naval Intelligence Agency (NIA), also known as Naval Intelligence (NavInt) or Military Intelligence, was a military intelligence service branch of the Imperial Navy. Established by the Galactic Empire, the agency's headquarters was located in the Federal District of the Empire's capital planet, the Core World Coruscant, during the Imperial Era.
During the Imperial Era, the Naval Intelligence Agency was formed out of and made technically separate from Military Intelligence, though it was often associated with, and referred to, as Military Intelligence. The Naval Intelligence headquarters was located in the Federal District of the Core World Coruscant—the capital planet of the Galactic Empire—near the Imperial Palace and the COMPNOR arcology. It was led by Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit who was supported by Vice Admiral Terrinald Screed. It would work closely with the Imperial Security Bureau and held its own investigations and interrogations if required. During briefings, they would often represent Military Intelligence as well and provide intelligence and analysis from the military perspective.
The Naval Intelligence Agency was headquartered in the former Republic military base on Coruscant.
In 14 BBY, following the conclusion of a rebel campaign, Vice Admiral Rancit was found out to be a traitor and executed by Darth Vader. The Naval Intelligence Agency as a result was folded back into Military Intelligence and Colonel Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau was appointed to head its operations with the title of Deputy Director. Yularen remained in a high position in the NIA until his death aboard the Death Star battle station at the Battle of Yavin.
After supervising the construction of the Jakku Observatory, Emperor Palpatine assigned his protégé Gallius Rax to work as a commander in the Naval Intelligence Agency. His ranking was considered by many to be abnormally high, considering his lack of history with the Imperial Military. Rax answered solely to the NIA's Deputy Director Yularen; with his "eyes only" reports bypassing both Vice Admirals Rancit and Screed. Following Yularen's death at Yavin, Rax's reports were sent directly to the Emperor himself. After the Battle of Endor, Rax became a Fleet Admiral and was tasked with executing the late Emperor's posthumous Contingency plan.
- Dawn of Rebellion
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