Which discipline encompasses intelligence obtained from both communications and noncommunications emitters, including both direct and indirect methods?

Which discipline encompasses intelligence obtained from both communications and noncommunications emitters, including both direct and indirect methods?

• A. COMINT - communications intelligence
• B. ELINT - electronic intelligence
• C. SIGINT - signals intelligence
• D. IMINT - imagery intelligence

Answer: (C)

Signals intelligence covers intelligence gathered from all signals emitted by equipment, not just those used for human communications. It includes both communications intelligence (listening to or intercepting voice, data, or text communications) and noncommunications intelligence (analyzing emissions from radars, beacons, telemetry, navigation signals, and other electronic sources). It also spans direct interception (actively capturing a signal such as a phone call or data stream) and indirect methods (examining the characteristics of emissions—frequency, timing, modulation, power—to infer capabilities or intentions). Because it encompasses the full range of signal sources and collection methods, the overarching discipline is SIGINT. COMINT and ELINT are subfields within SIGINT, while IMINT deals with imagery and is not about signals.

Signals intelligence covers intelligence gathered from all signals emitted by equipment, not just those used for human communications. It includes both communications intelligence (listening to or intercepting voice, data, or text communications) and noncommunications intelligence (analyzing emissions from radars, beacons, telemetry, navigation signals, and other electronic sources). It also spans direct interception (actively capturing a signal such as a phone call or data stream) and indirect methods (examining the characteristics of emissions—frequency, timing, modulation, power—to infer capabilities or intentions). Because it encompasses the full range of signal sources and collection methods, the overarching discipline is SIGINT. COMINT and ELINT are subfields within SIGINT, while IMINT deals with imagery and is not about signals.