In blog entry Number 19 I posted a brief explanation of how intelligence works and the general categories of intelligence sources. I want to significantly expand that now, to present the complexity of gathering intelligence data in the modern world.
Sources are classified into about eight categories. Finished intelligence (for dissemination) is a fitting together of pieces from overlapping sources. In the following entries I will present each of these sources. I will review the sources here.
- Open Sources
- HUMINT
- Signal interception – SIGINT
- Imagery
- Scientific and Technical Intelligence
- Measurement and Sensing
- MASINT
- UGS
- Other
Scientific and Technical (S& T) Intelligence. This is the product resulting from collecting, evaluating, analyzing, and interpreting foreign scientific and technical information. It covers foreign developments in basic and applied research and in applied engineering techniques; and scientific and technical characteristics, capabilities, and limitations of all foreign military systems, weapons, weapon systems, and materiel, the research and development related thereto, and the production methods employed for their manufacture. Ths wais my own analysis assignment, and something I have continued the rest of my life. My own particular specialty is nuclear weapons, missile defense, and disaster response.
Advantages
- The most accurate intelligence available on capabilities and characteristics of foreign weapon systems
- May be used to determine systems capabilities
- Engineers, scientists, and technical experts intimately familiar with the subject being investigated
Limitations
- May be extremely limited or inaccurate on new systems or systems to which there has been no hands- on access
- Prolonged analysis may be required
- Capabilities do not necessarily indicate intentions
See an excellent article by CIA Intelligence Officer, Robert M. Clark Scientific And Technical Intelligence Analysis.
The next entry will be on Measurement and Sensing.
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