The Ints and Outs of Intelligence

NATIONAL SECURITY

THE INTS AND OUTS OF INTELLIGENCE

ntelligence comprises several "ints," which are really nothing more than the methodology by which information is collected. Outside the technical world, three ints matter-COMINT, IMINT and HUMINT. The "ints" are:

• SIGINT-Signals intelligence. A broad category that covers:
• COMINT-Communications intelligence. Telephone taps; intercepts of fax transmissions; radio exchanges between pilots. In a word, words.
• ELINT-Electronic intelligence. Electromagnetic, noncommunications transmissions like radar and IFF (aircraft identification signals). In other words, nonverbal electronic signals.
• FISINT-Foreign instrumentation signature intelligence. A very special category aimed at keeping track of Soviet missile and nuclear developments. Telemetry transmitted from test missiles in flight; communications on test ranges; and signals from beacons used on test ranges.
• IMINT-Image intelligence. Any imagery, infrared pictures as well as photos, from satellites and spy planes down to shots taken by Uncle Bob with his Brownie-assuming Uncle Bob travels to interesting places.
• MASINT-Measurement and signature intelligence. Seismic measures that reveal a country has tested a nuclear weapon underground; chemical samplings of air and water used to detect chemical warfare agents.
• HUMINT-Human intelligence. Spies.
• ASKINT-With the collapse of the Soviet Union, we can now walk into the Kremlin and ask President Yeltsin's aides if they lost any warheads today. The answer one gets is mockingly called ASKINT within the intelligence community.