Updated December 12, 2022
Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
Nine of 18 total statutory elements of the Intelligence
dynamic, the intelligence process is iterative: each category
Community reside within the Department of Defense
or phase of the process is ongoing and complements the
(DOD). This includes the National Security Agency (NSA),
other phases for the duration of the military operation or
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Geospatial-
campaign.
Intelligence Agency (NGA), and the intelligence
components of the military services. Non-DOD intelligence
Intelligence Roles and Responsibilities
community elements, such as the Central Intelligence
Table 1 summarizes the roles and responsibilities of joint
Agency (CIA), also provide support to the military.
intelligence to assist commanders in deciding which forces
Integrated intelligence community support of the military
to deploy, when, how, and where to deploy them, and how
includes strategic, operational, and tactical intelligence
to employ them in a manner that accomplishes a specific
activities, products and services necessary for military
mission consistent with the commander’s priorities.
strategy, planning, and operations.
Table 1. Roles and Responsibilities of Joint Intelligence
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) serves as
community manager for the intelligence community and the
Role: To provide information, assessments and estimates
principal intelligence advisor to the President. The core
in support of a military commander’s decision-making.
mission of the DNI is to ensure the integration of
Responsibilities:
intelligence activities across the elements of the intelligence
To support the planning of operations: Describe the
community. The Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence
operational environment; provide estimates
and Security) (USD(I&S)) manages the DOD intelligence
pertaining to adversaries; analyze target systems and
elements. This position is dual-hatted. When acting as the
their vulnerabilities; identify, nominate objectives.
USD(I&S), the incumbent reports directly to the Secretary
of Defense and serves as the Secretary’s principal staff
To support the execution of operations: Monitor
and provide warnings concerning the operational
assistant on intelligence, counterintelligence, security, and
environment; enable target engagements.
other intelligence-related matters. When acting as Director
of Defense Intelligence (DDI), the incumbent reports
To assess the effectiveness of operations: Perform
directly to the DNI and serves as principal advisor on
battle damage assessments; measure changes to
defense intelligence matters. Together, the DNI and
adversaries and the operational environment.
USD(I&S) coordinate a number of interagency activities
Source: Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, p. I-5.
designed to facilitate the integration of national and tactical-
level intelligence.
According to JP 2-0, intelligence should support a
commander’s plan
The Intelligence Process for Supporting
ning, execution, and assessment of the
Military Operations
impact of military operations. It should, therefore, include a
comprehensive analysis of the threat and relevant aspects of
The intelligence community supports the entire spectrum of
the operating environment in assessments enabling the
DOD missions, from peacetime to combat operations. Joint
commander to create and exploit opportunities to
Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, (or, JP 2-0, the
accomplish friendly force objectives.
publication of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that provides
definitive guidance on intelligence support for military
In describing the operational environment, JP 2-0 specifies
operations) notes that the intelligence process for
that intelligence should identify for the commander
supporting joint (i.e., multi-service, integrated) military
associated issues such as the political context; governance;
operations consists of six interrelated categories of
leadership intentions; military capabilities and tactics;
intelligence operations, all aimed at providing commanders
communications and critical infrastructure; economy;
and national-level decision-makers with relevant and timely
terrain; weather; cultural considerations; social stability;
intelligence. These categories include planning and
and health conditions. Intelligence should also provide
direction; collection, processing and exploitation; analysis
military planners clearly defined, achievable, and
and production; dissemination and integration; and
measurable objectives that meet the commander’s intent.
Changes to the threat and the operational environment
evaluation and feedback. Intelligence professionals
require intelligence professionals to continuously review
participate in the planning and decision-making processes
their objectives to determine whether they remain relevant.
to align intelligence resources with operational objectives
effectively. Collection management ensures the appropriate
To counter an adversary’s deception efforts, JP 2-0
collection resources are tasked to address specific
specifies that intelligence should confirm previous analysis
intelligence requirements pertaining to operational
using multiple analytical methods and processes. This may
objectives. Because the operational environment is
include multiple methods to confirm, for example, an
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Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
adversary’s capabilities and vulnerabilities, and the threat
defense planning and systems acquisition. Service
an adversary poses to U.S. and allied information systems.
intelligence elements are also responsible for assigning
Intelligence can also identify objectives to deceive an
service intelligence personnel to joint intelligence and
adversary to complement the commander’s operational
combat support agencies whose mission is to provide
objectives.
strategic, operational, and tactical-level intelligence support
to operational forces.
According to JP 2-0, intelligence must also help assess the
effectiveness of military operations by objectively assessing
Joint Intelligence Elements
the impact on an adversary, and other relevant aspects of
The National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center
the operating environment with respect to the commander’s
(NJOIC), attached to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon,
intent. This may include conducting surveys of the extent of
maintains a continuous, all-source, multidiscipline
damage to targets or providing intelligence support to
intelligence alert center to provide defense situational
planning for follow-on strikes, deployments of relief forces,
awareness, early warning, and crisis management
or related activities.
intelligence support. In addition, DOD joint intelligence
centers (JICs) attached to each combatant command
Defense Intelligence Organizations
provide a common, coordinated picture of conditions in
Table 2 illustrates the variety of ways in which intelligence
each theater of operations by fusing national and theater
entities are organized at the service-, joint-, and national-
intelligence information from across the IC into all-source
levels to support military operations.
assessments 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, &
services to support military planning and operations.
Reconnaissance (AF/A2)
Products may include current intelligence briefings;
U.S. Army Intelligence (G-2)
analysis of the geopolitical environment; foreign military
U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence (CG-2)
capability assessments; geospatial products such as imagery
or bomb-damage assessments; targeting recommendations
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance Enterprise (MCISR-E)
and coordinates intelligence information reports; and
signals intelligence.
U.S. Naval Intelligence (N2)
U.S. Space Force Intelligence (S-2)
Relevant Statutes
Joint Intelligence Elements within DOD
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 21—DOD Intelligence Matters
National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44—National Security
(NJOIC)
Joint Staff Intelligence Directorate (JCS J-2)
CRS Products
Combatant Command Intelligence Directorates
CRS In Focus IF10525, Defense Primer: National and Defense
(CCMD J-2)
Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
Joint Force Command Intelligence Directorates (JFC J-
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
2)
Defense for Intelligence and Security, by Michael E. DeVine
Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC)
CRS In Focus IF10470, The Director of National Intelligence
(DNI), by Michael E. DeVine
Joint Intelligence Support Element (JISE)
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
Combat Support Agencies
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
CRS Report R45175, Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of
the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions, by Michael E.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
DeVine
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
National Security Agency (NSA)
Other Resources
Source: CRS, adapted from 50 U.S.C. §3003(4), Joint Publication 2-
DOD, Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, May 26, 2022.
01, Joint and National Intelligence Support to Military Operations, pp. xi-xv
and II.
DOD, Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence
Support to Military Operations, July 5, 2017.
Service Intelligence Components
Service intelligence components are designed to provide
service-specific intelligence systems, personnel, training,
and analytical expertise to optimize military strategy,
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
planning, and operations. This includes responsibility for
Security
providing intelligence assessments of the capabilities and
intentions of potential adversaries to support long-term
IF10574
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Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
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