Measurement and signature intelligence > Related Articles

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Parent topics

• Intelligence (disambiguation) [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Intelligence collection management [r]: Assigning questions to various collection techniques, reflecting the techniques available and the priority of the information need. Includes the process of categorizing information learned for subsequent analysis, and assigning probabilities of accuracy to the raw information [e]

Subtopics

• Electro-optical MASINT [r]: A subdiscipline of measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), which has similarities to but complements imagery intelligence (IMINT); it does not form images, but validates them and produces information on phenomena that emit, absorb, or reflect electromagnetic energy in the infrared, visible light, or ultraviolet spectra, where the value is knowledge of the type of energy detected [e]
  • Spectroscopic MASINT [r]: A electro-optical measurement and signature intelligence technique to measure the electromagnetic spectrum reflected from or emitted by an object, typically within the infrared through ultraviolet wavelength range, and compare it to spectral signatures of known objects [e]
  • Terrestrial nonimaging infrared MASINT [r]: a subset of electro-optical MASINT and measurement and signature intelligence, which senses energy, energy differences, or energy spectra in the infrared wavelengths, using ground-based sensors [e]
  • RC-135 COBRA BALL [r]: A United States Air Force aircraft for collecting measurement and signature intelligence, primarily on foreign missiles. A COBRA BALL aircraft can be converted to a RC-135 RIVET JOINT. [e]
• Geophysical MASINT [r]: A branch of measurement and signature intelligence that involves phenomena transmitted through the earth (ground, water, atmosphere) and manmade structures including emitted or reflected sounds, pressure waves, vibrations, and magnetic field or ionosphere disturbances. [e]
  • Sonar [r]: A contraction of sound navigation and ranging, formally includes the active mode in which a pulse goes out and a receiver measures the echo. Also includes hydrophones or passive, listen-only systems. [e]
• Materials MASINT [r]: A discipline involving the measurement of signatures from the collection, processing, and analysis of gas, liquid, or solid samples; it complements technical intelligence: a technical intelligence analyst would work with a captured example of the weapon, or at least pieces of it, to come to that understanding of the propellant, while an analyst of this technique would infer the propellant through analysis of the exhaust [e]
  • Biological weapon [r]: Living organisms, or substances produced by living organisms, used as weapons to produce death or disease in human or agricultural populations [e]
  • Chemical weapon [r]: A weapon that cause death or disease by means of chemical interaction with the metabolism of the victim, as opposed to causing injury through blast, thermal, or other effects not on a molecular level [e]
  • Radiological weapon [r]: A weapon that uses explosives or other mechanical means to disperse radioactive substances that present a hazard of producing acute radiation syndrome or other harmful effects, such as contaminating an area and making it unusable [e]
• Nuclear MASINT [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Radar MASINT [r]: The use of radar signals to obtain information beyond imaging of a target or its simple position, such as motion, reflectivity and surface characteristics, etc.; this technical information may be combined with imaging radar or traditional tracking radar [e]
  • Identification friend or foe [r]: Military electronic systems that send a secure "don't kill me" signal to friendly forces, to avoid fratricide, usually based on encrypted interaction with a transponder [e]
• Radiofrequency MASINT [r]: Collection and processing of intelligence information derived from unintentional electromagnetic radiation from targets of interest [e]
  • Operation RAFTER [r]: A measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) technique that allowed a remote monitor to determine, passively, the frequency to which a radio receiver was tuned; revelation of the technique allowed it to be prevented [e]

Other related topics

• Central Intelligence Agency [r]: The principal civilian intelligence organization of the United States, specializing in all-source intelligence analysis, clandestine human-source intelligence, and covert action. [e]
• Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction [r]: A bipartisan commission that, after the failure to find weapons of mass destruction after the Iraq War, conducted a broad assessment of the capabilities and deficiencies of the United States intelligence community to detect future threats, and made recommendations for improvement [e]
• Counterproliferation [r]: The set of activities that detect and monitor the threat of weapons of special concern against one's own nation and one's allies. [e]
• Defense Intelligence Agency [r]: One of the members of the United States intelligence community, charged with providing national-level analysis specifically relevant for military needs, and being the focal point for measurement and signature intelligence [e]
• Signals intelligence [r]: the practice of acquiring information through monitoring the electromagnetic signals deliberately trasmitted by an opponent, including communications (COMINT) and non-communications electronics such as radar (ELINT). [e]
• Geospatial intelligence [r]: Information derived from combining images, from a variety of sources, with geographical locations, resolving conflicts of coordinates and different imaging techniques, and analyzing the results [e]
• Human-source intelligence [r]: (HUMINT); the practice of acquiring information through interactions with people who can disclose relevant information, including but not limited to espionage, interrogation, debriefing and elicitation [e]
• National Reconnaissance Office [r]: An agency of the United States intelligence community, which designs, procures, launches, and operates intelligence satellites and certain aircraft/UAV platforms. It does not analyze their output. [e]
• National intelligence organizations [r]: Organizations for intelligence collection and analysis, which are responsive to overall national needs rather than to the needs of a specific military service or specific mission (e.g., terrorism); they may, however, be oriented to specific collection or analysis disciplines [e]
• U-2 Dragon Lady [r]: A high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft that remains a key U.S. intelligence collection platform. [e]
• Unmanned aerial vehicle [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Unmanned ground sensor [r]: Add brief definition or description