Updated January 24, 2020
Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
The Intelligence Community is charged with providing
programs and activities are funded through National
customers—or consumers—of intelligence insight into
Intelligence Program (NIP) budget appropriations, which
actual or potential threats to the United States homeland,
are a consolidation of appropriations for the ODNI; CIA;
the American people, and national interests at home and
general defense; and national cryptologic, reconnaissance,
abroad. It does so through the production of timely and
geospatial, and other specialized intelligence programs. The
apolitical products and services. Intelligence products and
NIP, therefore, provides funding for not only the ODNI,
services result from the collection, processing, analysis, and
CIA and IC elements of the Departments of Homeland
evaluation of information for its significance to national
Security, Energy, the Treasury, Justice and State, but also,
security at the strategic, operational and tactical levels.
substantially, for the programs and activities of the
Customers of intelligence include the President, National
intelligence agencies within the DOD, to include the NSA,
Security Council (NSC), designated personnel in executive
NGA, DIA, and NRO.
branch departments and agencies, the military, Congress,
and the law enforcement community.
Defense intelligence comprises the intelligence
organizations and capabilities of the Joint Staff, the DIA,
The IC comprises 17 elements, two of which are
combatant command joint intelligence centers, and the
independent, and 15 of which are component organizations
military services that address strategic, operational or
of six separate departments of the federal government.
tactical requirements supporting military strategy, planning,
Many IC elements and most intelligence funding reside
and operations. Defense intelligence provides products and
within the Department of Defense (DOD).
services on foreign military capabilities, plans and
intentions, orders-of-battle, disposition of forces, and the
Statutory IC Elements
political, cultural and economic factors influencing the
environment in areas of actual or potential military
DOD Elements:
operations. Military Intelligence Program (MIP)
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
appropriations fund military service intelligence personnel,
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
their training, and tactical military intelligence programs
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
and activities.
National Security Agency (NSA)
U.S. Air Force Intel igence, Surveil ance and Reconnaissance
National and defense intelligence are not discrete
(AF/A2)
enterprises. The 17 organizational elements of the IC are
U.S. Army Intel igence (G2)
required to collaborate closely to address intelligence gaps
U.S. Marine Corps Intel igence, Surveil ance and Reconnaissance
and disseminate products to appropriately cleared personnel
Enterprise (MCISR-E)
across the government in a timely manner. The IC also
U.S. Naval Intelligence (N2)
cultivates ties to international partners to address mutual
Non-DOD Elements:
national security concerns.
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
Who Does What?
Central Intel igence Agency (CIA)
Executive Order (EO) 12333, codified in 50 U.S.C. §3001,
Department of Energy (DOE) intel igence component: Office of
Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence (I&CI)
establishes general duties and responsibilities for each
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence components:
element of the IC. Other laws, executive orders, and policy
Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and U.S. Coast Guard
issuances may establish additional duties and
Intelligence (CG-2)
responsibilities for particular IC elements.
Department of Justice (DOJ) intelligence components: the Drug
Enforcement Agency’s Office of National Security Intel igence
DIA is a DOD combat support agency that collects,
(DEA/ONSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s Intelligence
analyzes, and disseminates foreign military intelligence
Branch (IB)
to policymakers and the military. DIA serves as the
Department of State (DOS) intel igence component: Bureau of
Intelligence and Research (INR)
nation’s primary manager and producer of foreign
Department of Treasury intelligence component: Office of
military intelligence, and a central intelligence producer
Intelligence and Analysis (OIA)
and manager for the Secretary of Defense, the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and the United States combatant
Source: 50 U.S. Code §3003(4); ODNI
commands.
National and Defense Intelligence
NGA produces geospatial intelligence products and
National intelligence addresses the strategic requirements
services in support of policymakers, warfighters, other
of national security policy makers such as the President and
intelligence agencies, and first responders.
Secretaries of Defense and State. National intelligence
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NRO builds and operates satellites and ground stations
Strategic, Operational, and Tactical
whose main purpose is collecting imagery and signals
Intelligence
intelligence to support other agencies’ intelligence
Table 1 provides an overview of the intelligence
products and services.
corresponding to what the DOD refers to as the strategic,
operational and tactical levels of war.
NSA specializes in cryptology, encompassing signals
intelligence and information assurance, and is
Table 1. Levels of Intelligence
responsible for computer network operations in support
of United States national security requirements.
Strategic Intelligence assists senior military and civilian
leaders in developing national strategy and policy; monitors the
Military service intelligence elements collect and
international or global situation; assists in developing military
analyze strategic, operational and tactical intelligence
plans; assists in determining major weapon systems and force
supporting the requirements of the military services
structure requirements; and supports the conduct of strategic
jointly or separately. Tactical and operational
operations.
intelligence supports military commanders and deployed
Operational Intelligence focuses on military capabilities and
warfighters. National military service intelligence
intentions of enemies and adversaries; analyzes the operational
organizations such as the Navy’s Office of Naval
environment; identifies adversary centers of gravity and critical
Intelligence specialize in threat analysis and strategic
vulnerabilities; monitors events in the joint force commander’s
intelligence assessments that can support United States
area of interest; and supports the planning and conduct of joint
defense platform and weapons systems development.
campaigns.
Tactical Intelligence supports military commanders in the
CIA collects, analyzes, evaluates, and disseminates
planning and execution of battles, engagements, and other joint
foreign intelligence and counterintelligence in support
force activities; provides commanders with information on
of a broad range of senior national security customers
imminent threats to their forces and changes in the operational
including the President, NSC and military. In addition to
environment; and provides commanders with obstacle
its clandestine and open source collection activities, CIA
intelligence.
has been the leading agency in conducting covert action
as directed by the President.
Source: adapted from Joint Pub 2-0, Joint Intelligence, p. I-24.
Other Non-DOD elements within the Departments of
Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, State and the
Relevant Statutes
Treasury provide intelligence supporting national
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 21 – DOD Intelligence Matters
requirements particular to the expertise of each
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44 – National Security
department. They also contribute valuable strategic
analysis of cross-cutting issues such as treaty
compliance, counterterrorism, transnational finance, and
transnational organized crime.
CRS Products
IC Leadership
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
Defense (Intelligence), by Michael E. DeVine
Together, the DNI and Under Secretary of Defense for
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
Intelligence (USD(I)) coordinate programs and activities
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
across the IC to promote an integrated, efficient approach to
intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination.
CRS In Focus IF10574, Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to
Military Operations, by Michael E. DeVine
Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
CRS Report R45175, Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of
The DNI is the principal advisor to the President on
the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions in Brief, by
intelligence matters. Created by the Intelligence Reform
Michael E. DeVine
and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004 (P.L. 108-
458), the core mission of the DNI and, by extension, the
Office of the DNI (ODNI), is “to lead the IC in intelligence
Other Resources
integration” and ensure the 17 elements are appropriately
integrated.
DOD. Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, October 22,
2013.
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
DOD. Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence
(USD(I)/Director of Defense Intelligence (DDI))
Support to Military Operations, July 5, 2017
The USD(I) position is dual-hatted. When acting as the
USD(I), the incumbent reports directly to the Secretary of
(Note: This In Focus was originally written by former CRS
Defense and serves as the Secretary’s principal staff
Analyst Anne Daugherty Miles.)
assistant for intelligence, counterintelligence, security, and
other intelligence-related matters. When acting as DDI, the
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
incumbent reports directly to the DNI and serves as his
Security
principal advisor regarding defense intelligence matters.
IF10525
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Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
Disclaimer
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