Updated December 13, 2021
Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
The Intelligence Community (IC), comprised of 18
the Secretaries of Defense and State. National intelligence
statutory elements (50 U.S.C. §3003(4)), is charged with
programs and activities are funded through National
providing insight into actual or potential threats to the U.S.
Intelligence Program (NIP) budget appropriations, which
homeland, the American people, and national interests at
are a consolidation of appropriations for the ODNI, CIA,
home and abroad. It does so through the production of
general defense, and national cryptologic, reconnaissance,
timely and apolitical products and services. Intelligence
geospatial, and other specialized intelligence programs. The
products and services result from the collection, processing,
NIP, therefore, provides funding for not only the ODNI,
analysis, and evaluation of information for its significance
CIA, and IC elements of the Departments of Homeland
to national security at the strategic, operational, and tactical
Security, Energy, the Treasury, Justice, and State, but also,
levels. Consumers of intelligence include the President, the
substantially, for the programs and activities of the
National Security Council (NSC), designated personnel in
intelligence agencies within the DOD, to include the NSA,
executive branch departments and agencies, the military,
NGA, DIA, and NRO.
Congress, and the law enforcement community.
Defense intelligence comprises the intelligence
The IC comprises 18 elements, 2 of which are independent,
organizations and capabilities of the Joint Staff, DIA,
and 16 of which are component organizations of six
combatant command joint intelligence centers, and the
separate departments of the federal government. Many IC
military services that address strategic, operational, or
elements and most intelligence funding reside within the
tactical requirements supporting military strategy, planning,
Department of Defense (DOD).
and operations. Defense intelligence provides products and
services on foreign military capabilities, plans and
Statutory IC Elements
intentions, orders-of-battle, disposition of forces, and the
political, cultural, and economic factors influencing the
DOD Elements:
environment in areas of actual or potential military
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
operations. Military Intelligence Program (MIP)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
appropriations fund military service intelligence personnel,
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
their training, and tactical military intelligence programs
National Security Agency (NSA)
and activities. Since MIP appropriations relate to tactical
U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
rather than strategic capabilities, they fund a narrower range
(AF/A2)
of programs than defense intelligence programs overall.
U.S. Space Force Intelligence (S-2)
U.S. Army Intelligence (G2)
National and defense intelligence are not discrete
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
enterprises. The 18 organizational elements of the IC are
Enterprise (MCISR-E)
required to collaborate closely to address intelligence gaps
U.S. Naval Intelligence (N2)
and disseminate products to appropriately cleared personnel
Non-DOD Elements:
across the government in a timely manner. The IC also
leverages relationships with international partners to
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
address mutual national security concerns.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Department of Energy (DOE) intelligence component: Office of
Who Does What?
Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence (I&CI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence components:
Executive Order (EO) 12333, codified in 50 U.S.C. §3001,
Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and U.S. Coast Guard
establishes general duties and responsibilities for each
Intelligence (CG-2)
element of the IC. Other laws, executive orders, and policy
Department of Justice (DOJ) intelligence components: the Drug
issuances may establish additional duties and
Enforcement Agency’s Office of National Security Intelligence
responsibilities for particular IC elements.
(DEA/ONSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s Intelligence
Branch (IB)
DIA is a DOD combat support agency that collects,
Department of State (DOS) intelligence component: Bureau of
Intelligence and Research (INR)
analyzes, and disseminates foreign military intelligence
Department of the Treasury intelligence component: Office of
to policymakers and the military. DIA serves as the
Intelligence and Analysis (OIA)
nation’s primary manager and producer of foreign
military intelligence; it manages the production of
Source: 50 U.S. Code §3003(4); ODNI.
intelligence for the Secretary of Defense, the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and the combatant commands.
National and Defense Intelligence
National intelligence addresses the strategic requirements
of national security policymakers such as the President and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2 Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
NGA produces geospatial intelligence products and
DNI’s principal advisor regarding defense intelligence,
services in support of policymakers, warfighters, other
counterintelligence, and security matters.
intelligence agencies, and first responders.
Strategic, Operational, and Tactical
NRO builds and operates satellites and ground stations
Intelligence
whose main purpose is collecting imagery and signals
Table 1 provides an overview of the intelligence
intelligence to support other agencies’ intelligence
corresponding to what the DOD refers to as the strategic,
products and services.
operational, and tactical levels of war.
NSA specializes in cryptology, which encompasses
Table 1. Levels of Intelligence
signals intelligence and information assurance, and is
responsible for computer network operations in support
Strategic Intelligence assists senior military and civilian
of national security requirements.
leaders in developing national strategy and policy; monitors the
international situation; helps with developing military plans;
Military service intelligence elements collect and
assists in determining major weapon systems and force structure
analyze strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence
requirements; and supports the conduct of strategic operations.
supporting the requirements of the military services
Operational Intelligence focuses on military capabilities and
jointly and separately. Tactical and operational
intentions of enemies and adversaries; analyzes the operational
intelligence supports military commanders and deployed
environment; identifies adversary centers of gravity and critical
warfighters. National military service intelligence
vulnerabilities; monitors events in the joint force commander’s
organizations such as the Navy’s Office of Naval
area of interest; and supports the planning and conduct of joint
Intelligence specialize in threat analysis and strategic
campaigns.
intelligence assessments that can support defense
Tactical Intelligence supports military commanders in the
platform and weapons systems development.
planning and execution of battles, engagements, and other joint
force activities; provides commanders with information on
CIA collects, analyzes, evaluates, and disseminates
imminent threats and changes in the operational environment;
foreign intelligence and counterintelligence in support
and provides commanders with obstacle intelligence.
of a broad range of senior national security consumers
including the President, NSC, and military. In addition
Source: CRS adapted from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Joint
to its clandestine and open source collection activities,
Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, October 22, 2013, pp. I-24.
CIA has been the leading agency in conducting covert
action as directed by the President.
Relevant Statutes
Other non-DOD elements within the Departments of
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 21 – DOD Intelligence Matters
Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and the
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44 – National Security
Treasury provide intelligence supporting national
requirements particular to the mission of each
department.
Related CRS Products
IC Leadership
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
Together, the DNI and Under Secretary of Defense for
Defense for Intelligence and Security, by Michael E. DeVine
Intelligence and Security (USD(I&S)) coordinate programs
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
and activities across the IC to promote an integrated
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
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 of 2004 (IRTPA; P.L. 108-
458), the core mission of the DNI and, by extension, the
ODNI is “to lead the IC in intelligence integration” and
Other Resources
ensure all elements are appropriately integrated.
DOD, Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, October 22, 2013
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and
DOD, Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence
Security (USD(I&S)/Director of Defense
Support to Military Operations, July 5, 2017
Intelligence (DDI))
The USD(I&S) position is dual-hatted. When acting as the
(Note: This In Focus was originally written by former CRS
USD(I&S), the incumbent reports directly to the Secretary
Analyst Anne Daugherty Miles.)
of Defense and serves as the Secretary’s principal staff
assistant for intelligence, counterintelligence, security, and
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
other intelligence-related matters. When acting as DDI, the
Security
incumbent reports directly to the DNI and serves as the
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
IF10525
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10525 · VERSION 11 · UPDATED