Intelligence Disciplines

Intelligence Disciplines#

Reference of the formal intelligence disciplines (the “-INTs”), how they fit together, and the operator-level collection methods each spans.

The taxonomy below follows the US ODNI / NATO-aligned convention; other doctrines (UK JIC, Russian GRU, Chinese MSS) overlap heavily but use different framing. Pairs with Reconnaissance, Profiling, and After Action Review.

The -INTs#

Discipline

Notes

HUMINT

Human intelligence; agent recruitment, debriefing, source handling. CIA NCS, MI6, BND, MSS HUMINT bureaus.

SIGINT

Signals intelligence; intercept of communications + electronic emissions. NSA, GCHQ, BND-AB, ASD, CSE, NSC.

COMINT

Communications intelligence (sub-discipline of SIGINT).

ELINT

Electronic intelligence (radar, telemetry); SIGINT sub-discipline.

FISINT

Foreign Instrumentation Signals (telemetry, beacon, video).

GEOINT

Geospatial intelligence; imagery + GIS + spatial analysis. NGA (US), DGA-IS, NSGT (RU).

IMINT

Imagery intelligence; the imagery half of GEOINT.

MASINT

Measurement and signature intelligence; nuclear, chemical, biological, acoustic, seismic, radar signatures. DIA-MASINT.

TECHINT

Technical intelligence; foreign equipment + capability.

OSINT

Open-source intelligence; publicly available info. See OSINT Sources and Public Web.

SOCMINT

Social-media intelligence; OSINT subset.

CYBINT

Cyber intelligence; attribution, TTP analysis, threat-actor tracking.

FININT

Financial intelligence; transaction tracking, beneficial ownership, sanctions evasion. FinCEN, FATF, OFSI.

ACINT

Acoustic intelligence (underwater).

RADINT

Radar intelligence.

MEDINT

Medical intelligence.

SIGINT detail#

Sub-discipline

Notes

COMINT

Voice + data intercept; cryptanalysis.

ELINT

Radar, missile telemetry, EW emitter detection.

FISINT

Foreign Instrumentation Signals (FIS): telemetry, beacons, video downlinks.

TECHELINT

Radar parameter analysis.

OPELINT

Operational ELINT (real-time emitter location).

RADINT

Radar imagery (SAR, SIGINT-radar).

GEOINT detail#

Sub-discipline

Notes

IMINT

Imagery analysis (EO + IR + SAR).

GEOSPINT

Geospatial information (GIS, geocoded data).

GEOSPECTRAL

Multi/hyperspectral analysis.

THERMINT

Thermal imagery.

RADARINT

SAR + radar imagery.

LIDAR

3-D point clouds.

PNT

Position, Navigation, Timing.

Collection-management cycle#

The intelligence cycle (US doctrine: Joint Pub 2-0; UK Direction / Collection / Processing / Analysis / Dissemination):

Phase

Notes

Direction (PIRs)

Priority Intelligence Requirements; the consumer’s questions.

Planning (CCIRs)

Commander’s Critical Information Requirements; collection plans.

Collection

execute against PIRs / CCIRs across all -INTs.

Processing & Exp.

raw data -> usable form (transcribe, translate, OCR, enrich).

Analysis & Prod.

analysts produce assessments; structured analytic techniques (SATs).

Dissemination

brief / publish / push to consumers; CCIR cadence.

Evaluation / Feedb.

iterate on what worked + what didn’t.

Structured analytic techniques (ICD 203 + Heuer)#

Technique

Notes

ACH

Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (Heuer); refute, don’t confirm.

Key Assumptions Ch.

surface assumptions; test each.

Devil’s Advocacy

formal red-team; argue against the consensus.

Red Team Analysis

adopt adversary’s frame.

Team A / Team B

parallel competing analyses.

Indicators / signp.

forecast triggers; when X happens, hypothesis Y is more likely.

What If Analysis

counterfactual exercise.

Premortem

assume the assessment is wrong; reason backward.

Brainstorming

structured ideation.

Argument Mapping

formal logic mapping (Rationale, Argunet).

Bayesian

quantitative probability updates.

Intelligence products#

Product

Notes

PDB

President’s Daily Brief (US).

NIE

National Intelligence Estimate.

NID

National Intelligence Daily.

CIB

Current Intelligence Brief.

SR

Spot Report.

INTSUM

Intelligence Summary.

EEFI / FFIR

Essential Elements of Friendly Information / Friendly Forces Information Requirements.

ISR collection

Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance products.

TIR

Tactical Intelligence Report.

INTREP

Intelligence Report.

Major intelligence agencies#

Country

Agencies

United States

CIA (foreign HUMINT + analysis); NSA (SIGINT); NGA (GEOINT); DIA (DoD intel); FBI (domestic + counter-int); ODNI (oversight + NIE); NRO (sat collection); Coast Guard Intel; Air Force ISR; Navy ONI; Army INSCOM; Marine Corps Intelligence Activity; State Dept INR; DHS I&A; Treasury OIA; DEA Intel; DoE Intel.

United Kingdom

MI6 / SIS (foreign HUMINT); MI5 (domestic security); GCHQ (SIGINT + cyber); DI (defense intel); NCA NCSC (cyber); Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).

Canada

CSIS (security); CSE (SIGINT); CFINTCOM (military).

Australia

ASIS (foreign HUMINT); ASIO (security); ASD (SIGINT + cyber); ONI (oversight); AGO (geospatial); DIO (defense).

New Zealand

NZSIS (HUMINT); GCSB (SIGINT).

Germany

BND (foreign); BfV (domestic); BSI (cyber + InfoSec); ZITiS (technical); MAD (military counter-int).

France

DGSE (foreign); DGSI (domestic); DRSD (military counter-int); DRM (military intel); ANSSI (cyber).

Italy

AISE (foreign); AISI (domestic); DIS (oversight); CIO.

Spain

CNI (foreign + domestic); CNPIC (critical infra).

Netherlands

AIVD (general); MIVD (military).

Russia

SVR (foreign HUMINT); FSB (domestic security + counter-int); GRU (military intel).

China

MSS (Min. State Security; civilian foreign + domestic); PLA SSF (SIGINT, cyber, space); MPS (police).

Japan

PSIA (security); CIRO (cabinet research); MOD intel.

South Korea

NIS (formerly KCIA).

North Korea

RGB (Reconnaissance General Bureau).

Israel

Mossad (foreign); Shin Bet / ISA (domestic); Aman (military); Unit 8200 (SIGINT / cyber).

India

R&AW (foreign); IB (domestic); NTRO (technical).

Pakistan

ISI (military intel + foreign).

Iran

MOIS (Min. Intelligence); IRGC-Intel.

Türkiye

MİT.

Brazil

ABIN.

Mexico

CNI.

Saudi Arabia

GIP (Mukhabarat).

International cooperation#

Group

Notes

Five Eyes (FVEY)

AU, CA, NZ, UK, US, intel-sharing pact since 1946 (UKUSA Agreement).

Nine Eyes

FVEY + DK, FR, NL, NO.

Fourteen Eyes / SIGINT Seniors EU

Nine + DE, BE, IT, ES, SE.

SIGINT Seniors Pacific

14-Eyes equivalent for the Pacific.

Berne Group

European intel cooperation.

Club de Berne

similar; CT focus.

Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG)

FVEY-led CT-shared platform.

Megaupload Five-Eye

s informal SIGINT cooperation forum.

Operator notes#

  • OSINT vs SIGINT, many “OSINT” products are functionally SIGINT (passive RF capture, AIS / ADS-B harvesting); the legal regime around the data source differs.

  • Single-source error, structured analytic techniques (ACH, key assumptions) exist because single-source confidence fails; cross-INT corroboration is the discipline.

  • Classification levels, US: U / CUI / S / TS / TS-SCI; UK: O / S / TS; NATO: NU / NR / NC / NS / CTS. Handle matches the source’s authority.

  • PIR discipline, collection plans organized against consumer questions out-perform “collect everything” by significant margins.

  • Authorization, intelligence collection law jurisdiction-specific (US Title 50 + FISA + EO 12333, UK IPA, EU per-country); operators outside government inherit a different but no-less-real legal framework.

References#

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