Intelligence Gathering Disciplines

• HUMINT - Human Intelligence - gathered from a person on the ground
• IMINT - Imagery Intelligence - gathered from satellite and aerial photography
• MASINT - Measurement and Signature Intelligence
  • ACOUSTINT - Acoustic Intelligence - gathered from acoustical sources
  • CBINT - Chemical and Biological Intelligence - gathered from chemical and biological weapons and hazards
  • DEWINT - Directed Energy Weapon Intelligence - gathered from weapon related radio frequency, microwave, electromagnetic pulse, laser, and particle beams
  • Effluent/Debris Collection - gathered from atmospheric effluents and debris
  • EOINT - Electro-Optical Intelligence - gathered from optical monitoring of the electromagnetic spectrum
    • IRINT - Infrared Intelligence - gathered from the infrared spectrum
    • LASINT - Laser Intelligence - gathered from laser systems
  • MATINT - Materials Intelligence
  • NUCINT - Nuclear Intelligence - gathered from the analysis of radiation
  • RADINT - Radar Intelligence - gathered from radar sources
  • RF/EMPINT - Radio Frequency/Electromagnetic Pulse Intelligence - gathered from radio frequency and electromagnetic pulse emissions
  • Spectroscopic Intelligence
• OSINT - Open Source Intelligence - gathered from open sources
• SIGINT - Signals Intelligence - gathered from interception of signals
  • ELINT - Electronic Intelligence - gathered from electronic sensors
• TECHINT - Technical Intelligence - gathered from analysis of weapons and equipment used by the armed forces of foreign nations

see also:

• cryptanalysis
• traffic analysis