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Updated December 20, 2018
Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
The bulk of the Intelligence Community (IC), eight of 17
total elements, resides within the Department of Defense
Intelligence Support
(DOD). This includes the National Security Agency (NSA),
Table 1 summarizes the responsibilities of joint intelligence
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Geospatial-
to assist commanders in deciding which forces to deploy;
Intelligence Agency (NGA), and the intelligence
when, how, and where to deploy them; and how to employ
components of the military services. Along with non-DOD
them in a manner that accomplishes a specific mission.
IC elements with which they are integrated, these defense
elements provide strategic, operational, and tactical
Table 1. Responsibilities of Joint Intelligence in
intelligence products and services that support military
Military Operations
strategy, planning and operations.
Inform the commander
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) serves as
Describe the operational environment
community manager for the IC and the principal
Identify, define, and nominate objectives
intelligence advisor to the President. The core mission of
Support planning and execution of operations
the DNI is “to lead the IC in intelligence integration” to
Counter adversary deception and surprise
ensure the IC’s 17 component organizations operate as one
team. The Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence)
Support friendly deception efforts
(USD(I)) manages the DOD intelligence elements. His
Assess the effectiveness of operations
position is dual-hatted. When acting as the USD(I), the
Source: Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, Figure 1-2, p. I-3.
incumbent reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and
serves as the Secretary’s principal staff assistant on
Intelligence to “inform the commander” may include
intelligence, counterintelligence, security, and other
providing information about actual and potential threats,
intelligence-related matters. When acting as Director of
terrain, climate and weather, infrastructure, cultural
Defense Intelligence (DDI), the incumbent reports directly
characteristics, medical conditions, population, and
to the DNI and serves as his principal advisor on defense
leadership.
intelligence matters. Together, the DNI and USD(I)
coordinate a number of interagency activities designed to
Intelligence that “describes the operational environment”
facilitate the seamless integration of national and tactical-
may help in identifying and characterizing variables such as
level intelligence.
the political context; governance; economy; social stability;
Types of Military Operations
critical infrastructure; communications; physical setting;
and military capability, intentions, and tactics.
The IC supports the entire spectrum of DOD missions, from
peacetime operations to war. Joint Publication 2-0, Joint
Intelligence to “identify, define, and nominate objectives”
Intelligence, loosely groups DOD missions under three
may include developing an understanding of the
headings:
commander’s priorities; creating an intelligence collection
Military Engagement, Security Cooperation, and
plan based on those priorities; and creating possible
Deterrence. Examples include military exchanges, arms
battlefield targets focused on achieving the commander’s
control verification, sanctions enforcement, protection
objectives.
of shipping lanes, shows of force, and support to
insurgency and counterinsurgency operations.
Intelligence to “support planning and execution of
Crisis Response & Limited Contingency Operations.
operations” may include enhancing information sharing
Examples include noncombatant evacuation operations;
across departments and agencies of the government, and
peace operations; humanitarian assistance; personnel or
with international partners; allocating intelligence platforms
equipment recovery operations; and chemical,
to provide optimized support, establishing mutual support
biological, radiological, and nuclear response actions.
arrangements with host country nationals; and providing
indications and warning of attack.
Major Military Operations and Campaigns. These
types of operations include U.S. operations in Iraq and
Intelligence to “counter adversary deception and
Afghanistan where military forces generally have a
surprise” may include providing information on an
lengthy, multidimensional presence. The examples listed
adversary’s capabilities and vulnerabilities; estimates of
above (associated with more limited operations—such
when, where, and how military forces could exploit their
as humanitarian assistance) may also occur within this
information superiority; and the threat an adversary poses to
category as part of a larger military operation.
friendly information and information systems.
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Intelligence to “assess the effectiveness of operations”
intelligence alert center to provide defense situational
may include conducting surveys of the extent of damage to
awareness, early warning, and crisis management
targets or providing intelligence support to planning for
intelligence support. In addition, DOD joint intelligence
follow-on strikes, deployments of relief forces, or related
centers (JICs) attached to each combatant command
activities.
provide a common, coordinated picture of conditions in
each theater of operations (such as the theater associated
Defense Intelligence Organizations
with U.S. Central Command: southwest Asia/northeast
Table 2 illustrates the variety of ways in which intelligence
Africa) by fusing national and theater intelligence
entities are organized at the service-, joint-, and national-
information from across the IC into all-source assessments
levels to support military operations.
and estimates tailored to the needs of the commander.
Table 2. Selected Defense Intelligence Organizations
Combat Support Agencies (CSAs)
Service Intelligence Components
Combat Support Agencies with an intelligence function
such as DIA and NGA provide intelligence products and
U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance
services to optimize military planning and operations.
(AF/A2)
Products may include current intelligence briefings;
U.S. Army Intelligence (G-2)
analysis of the geopolitical environment; foreign military
capability assessments; geospatial products such as imagery
U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence (CG-2)
or bomb-damage assessments; targeting recommendations
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and
and coordinates intelligence information reports; and
Reconnaissance Enterprise (MCISR-E)
signals intelligence.
U.S. Naval Intelligence (N2)
(Note: This In Focus was originally written by former CRS
Joint Intelligence Elements within DOD
Analyst Anne Daugherty Miles.)
National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center (NJOIC)
Joint Staff Intelligence Directorate (JCS J-2)
Relevant Statutes
Combatant Command Intelligence Directorates (CCMD J-2)
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 21—DOD Intelligence Matters
Joint Force Command Intelligence Directorates (JFC J-2)
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44—National Security
Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC)
Joint Intelligence Support Element (JISE)
CRS Products
Combat Support Agencies
CRS In Focus IF10525, Defense Primer: National and Defense
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
Defense (Intelligence), by Michael E. DeVine
National Security Agency (NSA)
CRS In Focus IF10470, The Director of National Intelligence
(DNI), by Michael E. DeVine
Source: CRS, adapted from Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National
Intelligence Support to Military Operations, pp. xi-xv and II.
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
Service Intelligence Components
CRS Report R45175, Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of
Service intelligence components are designed to provide the
the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions in Brief, by
service-specific intelligence systems, personnel, training,
Michael E. DeVine
and analytical expertise to optimize military strategy,
planning and operations. This includes responsibility for
providing intelligence assessments of the capabilities and
Other Resources
intentions of potential adversaries to support long-term
DOD. Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, October 22,
defense planning and systems acquisition. Service
2013.
intelligence elements are also responsible for assigning
service intelligence personnel to joint intelligence and
DOD. Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence
combatant command entities and combat support agencies
Support to Military Operations, July 5, 2017.
trained to provide strategic, operational and tactical-level
intelligence support.
Joint Intelligence Elements
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
The National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center
Security
(NJOIC) attached to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon
maintains a continuous, all-source, multidiscipline
IF10574
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Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
Disclaimer
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