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Updated May 9, 2024
Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
Nine of 18 total statutory elements of the Intelligence
operational objectives. Because the operational
Community (IC) reside within the Department of Defense
environment is dynamic, the intelligence process is
(DOD) and provide integrated intelligence support to
iterative: each category or phase of the process is ongoing
military strategy, planning, and operations. These elements
and complements the other phases for the duration of the
include the National Security Agency (NSA), National
military operation or campaign.
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Defense Intelligence
Intelligence Roles and Responsibilities
Agency (DIA), and the intelligence components of the five
Table 1 summarizes the roles and responsibilities of joint
military services (along with the Coast Guard intelligence
intelligence to assist commanders in deciding which forces
element when operating as part of DOD). Non-DOD IC
to deploy; when, how, and where to deploy them; and how
elements, such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),
to employ them in a manner that accomplishes a specific
also support military activities.
mission consistent with the commander’s priorities.
The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) serves as
Table 1. Roles and Responsibilities of Joint Intelligence
community manager for the IC and as the principal
intelligence advisor to the President. The core mission of
Role: To provide information, assessments, and estimates in
the DNI is to ensure the integration of intelligence activities
support of a military commander’s decisionmaking.
across the elements of the IC.
Responsibilities:
•
To support the planning of operations: Describe the
The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and
operational environment; provide estimates pertaining to
Security (USD(I&S)) manages the DOD intelligence
adversaries; analyze target systems and their
elements. This position is dual-hatted. When acting as the
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 battle
directly to the DNI and serves as principal advisor on
damage assessments; measure changes to adversaries and
defense intelligence matters.
the operational environment.
Source: Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, p. I-5.
Together, the DNI and USD(I&S) coordinate a number of
interagency activities designed to facilitate the integration
According to JP 2-0, intelligence should support a
of national and tactical-level intelligence.
commander’s planning, execution, and assessment of the
The Intelligence Process for Supporting
impact of military operations. It should, therefore, include a
Military Operations
comprehensive analysis of the threat and relevant aspects of
the operating environment in assessments enabling the
The IC supports the entire spectrum of DOD missions, from
commander to create and exploit opportunities to
peacetime to combat operations. Joint Publication 2-0, Joint
accomplish friendly force objectives.
Intelligence (or JP 2-0, the Joint Chiefs of Staff publication
that provides definitive guidance on intelligence support for
In describing the operational environment, JP 2-0 specifies
military 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 decisionmakers 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.
evaluation and feedback.
Changes to the threat and the operational environment
require intelligence professionals to continuously review
their objectives to determine whether they remain relevant.
Intelligence professionals participate in the planning and
decisionmaking processes to align intelligence resources
To counter an adversary’s deception efforts, JP 2-0
with operational objectives. Collection management ensures
specifies that intelligence should confirm previous analysis
that the appropriate collection resources are tasked to
using multiple analytical methods and processes. This may
address specific intelligence requirements pertaining to
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link to page 2 Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
include multiple methods to confirm, for example, an
defense planning and systems acquisition. Service
adversary’s capabilities and vulnerabilities, and the threat
intelligence elements are also responsible for assigning
an adversary poses to U.S. and allied information systems.
service intelligence personnel to joint intelligence and
Intelligence can also identify objectives to deceive an
combat support agencies (CSAs) whose mission is to
adversary to complement the commander’s operational
provide strategic, operational, and tactical-level intelligence
objectives.
support to operational forces.
According to JP 2-0, intelligence must also help assess the
Joint Intelligence Elements
effectiveness of military operations by objectively assessing
The National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center
their impact on an adversary and other relevant aspects of
(NJOIC), attached to the Joint Staff in the Pentagon,
the operating environment with respect to the commander’s
maintains a continuous, all-source, multidiscipline
intent. This may include conducting surveys of the extent of
intelligence alert center to provide defense situational
damage to targets or providing intelligence support to
awareness, early warning, and crisis management
planning for follow-on strikes, deployments of relief forces,
intelligence support. In addition, DOD joint intelligence
or related activities.
operations centers (JIOCs) attached to each combatant
command provide a common, coordinated picture of
Defense Intelligence Organizations
conditions in each theater of operations by fusing national
Table 2 illustrates the variety of ways in which intelligence
and theater intelligence information from across the IC into
entities are organized at the service, joint, and national
all-source assessments and estimates tailored to the needs of
levels to support military operations.
the commander.
Combat Support Agencies (CSAs)
Table 2. Selected Defense Intelligence Organizations
CSAs with an intelligence function, such as DIA and NGA,
Service Intelligence Components
provide intelligence products and services to support
military planning and operations. Products may include
•
U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, &
current intelligence briefings; analysis of the geopolitical
Reconnaissance (AF/A2)
environment; foreign military capability assessments;
•
U.S. Army Intelligence (G-2)
geospatial products such as imagery or bomb-damage
•
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and
assessments; targeting packages; intelligence information
Reconnaissance Enterprise (MCISR-E)
reports; and signals intelligence.
•
U.S. Naval Intelligence (CNO N2)
•
U.S. Space Force Intelligence (S-2)
Relevant Statutes
•
U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence (CG-2)
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 21—DOD Intelligence Matters
Title 50, U.S. Code, Chapter 44—National Security
Joint Intelligence Elements Within DOD
•
Joint Staff Intelligence Directorate (JCS J-2)
CRS Products
•
National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center
CRS In Focus IF10525, Defense Primer: National and Defense
(NJOIC)
Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
•
Combatant Command Intelligence Directorates
CRS In Focus IF10523, Defense Primer: Under Secretary of
(CCMD J-2)
Defense for Intelligence and Security, by Michael E. DeVine
•
Joint Force Command Intelligence Directorates (JFC
CRS In Focus IF10470, The Director of National Intelligence
J-2)
(DNI), by Michael E. DeVine
•
Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC)
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
•
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
Joint Intelligence Support Element (JISE)
CRS Report R45175, Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of
Combat Support Agencies
the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions, by Michael E.
•
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
DeVine
•
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
Other Resources
•
National Security Agency (NSA)
DOD, Joint Publication 2-0, Joint Intelligence, May 26, 2022.
Source: CRS, adapted from 50 U.S.C. §3003(4), Joint Publication
2-01, Joint and National Intelligence Support to Military Operations, pp. xi-
DOD, Joint Publication 2-01, Joint and National Intelligence
xv and II.
Support to Military Operations, July 5, 2017.
Service Intelligence Components
Service intelligence components are designed to provide
service-specific intelligence systems, personnel, training,
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
and analytical expertise to optimize military strategy,
Security
planning, and operations. This includes responsibility for
IF10574
providing intelligence assessments of the capabilities and
intentions of potential adversaries to support long-term
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Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to Military Operations
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