Talk:List of intelligence gathering disciplines

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To be included?

TECHINT sounds like it specifies the targeted information rather than specifying the collection method like the rest that are currently listed. Isomorphic 05:04, 25 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Absolutely keep - It's been on the list of functional disciplines since at least WWII. Perhaps the easiest way to determine whether something really is a functional discipline of intelligence is to attempt to start definition with "Acquisition of intelligence through the exploitation of ..." Bridesmill 15:54, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Intelligence analysis

What is missing from this list is intelligence analysis, such as is performed by the Australian Office of National Assessments, the British Joint Intelligence Committee, and in the United States by the National Intelligence Council, the Central Intelligence Agency's Directorate of Intelligence and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. m.e. 10:13, 17 Jul 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Personnel, vehicle, etc. detection

While VPBINT Variable Programmable Beacon Intelligence - gathered via telematics from static and dynamic (mobile) variable programmable intelligent beacons. was a separate item in the list, [1], it is no more and no less than a collection of MASINT sensors for detecting personnel, vehicles, etc.

The Vietnam-era Igloo White was a similar collection of MASINT sensor, and the current state of the art is I-REMBASS, both discussed in MASINT disciplines. The main discussion is in geophysical MASINT, to cover acoustic, seismic, and magnetic detection. I don't have a great term for these multidisciplinary things that are still collection rather than analysis, although I discussed some of the requirements (e.g., for shallow water operations) in the main MASINT article.

Suggestions are welcome for describing multidisciplinary approaches that are still mostly MASINT, and are clearly collection and immediate processing more than analysis Howard C. Berkowitz 16:43, 1 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] FININT

I'm troubled with listing this as a separate collection discipline, although I can list the various bank and other reports (at least in the US) that are the raw data collected. In some cases, these include OSINT, and even HUMINT from informers, but the main data source is sensitive but unclassified information provided by financial institutions. I can build out an article on it, at least for the US, but it feels more like an analysis discipline.

OTOH, clandestine collection of telegrams, telephone information, etc., especially on domestic targets, is usually part of SIGINT. It's a difficult call where FININT belongs, and it is an increasingly important technique, especially in finding terrorist operational cells. Howard C. Berkowitz 16:43, 1 December 2007 (UTC)