Military aircraftA military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary military of any type. Some military aircraft engage directly in aerial warfare, while others take on support roles: Combat aircraft, such as fighters and bombers, are designed to destroy enemy equipment or personnel using their own ordnance. Combat aircraft are typically developed and procured only by military forces.
Military intelligenceInformation about military opponents Part of a series on theIntelligence field and Intelligence Phases of Intelligence Intelligence cycle Intelligence cycle management Espionage Intelligence assessment Intelligence analysis Intelligence collection plan Framework Agent handling Blowback (intelligence) Clandestine HUMINT operational techniques Code name History of espionage Intelligence failure Intelligence requirement Intelligence law Intelligence studies Intelligence sharing Recruitment of spies Security sector governance and reform Total Espionage doctrine Treason Areas of Intelligence Raw intelligence All-source intelligence Counterintelligence I.S.R. Military intelligence Air intelligence Naval intelligence Clandestine human intelligence Basic intelligence Strategic intelligence Criminal intelligence Human intelligence Open-source intelligence Technical intelligence Signals intelligence Communications intelligence Electronic intelligence Cyber threat intelligence Measurement and signature intelligence Imagery intelligence Acoustical intelligence Geospatial intelligence Financial intelligence Medical intelligence Intelligence outsourcing Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence Telemetry intelligence Cyber espionage Nuclear espionage Sexpionage Tradecraft Corporate sector Industrial espionage Marketing intelligence Market intelligence Business intelligence Commercial intelligence People Asset (intelligence) Atomic spies Cover (intelligence gathering) Cutout (espionage) Double agent Field agent Intelligence officer Military attaché Mole (espionage) Resident spy Sleeper agent Special agent Station chief Walk-in agent Espionage organizations Foreign Intelligence Service Intelligence agency Intelligence community Private intelligence agency Spy ring Culture Intelligence literature Spy fiction Spy film Spy music International Spy Museum CIA library Kryptos OSS Society CIA Museum N.M.I.S.O. Stasimuseum Bletchley Park The Cold War Museum The Intelligence Summit Spyscape Spy Museum Berlin Spy Museum (Tampere) KGB Espionage Museum Tools Sentient (intelligence analysis system) Concealment device Stone Ghost Pinwale Microdot Threat Intelligence Platform The Thing Enigma machine Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Simulations Lists List of intelligence agencies List of intelligence gathering disciplines List of awards List of defunct intelligence agencies Related topics Counterintelligence state National security Surveillance Global surveillance Disguise Reconnaissance Target acquisition Assassination Criminal investigation Codebreaking Propaganda Graphology Paramilitary Cybersecurity vteA platoon commander of the 1st Marine Logistics Group, with the battalion interpreter, gather intelligence from local Afghans during a combat logistics patrol to the area, May 9, 2010.
Aerial reconnaissanceAerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imagery intelligence, and the observation of enemy maneuvers.
Imagery intelligenceImagery intelligence (IMINT), pronounced as either as Im-Int or I-Mint, is an intelligence gathering discipline wherein imagery is analyzed (or "exploited") to identify information of intelligence value. Imagery used for defense intelligence purposes is generally collected via satellite imagery or aerial photography. As an intelligence gathering discipline, IMINT production depends heavily upon a robust intelligence collection management system.
Unmanned aerial vehicleAircraft without any human pilot on boardA General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle used for both intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and drone strike missions.Ingenuity is an extraterrestrialautonomous UAV that performed the first powered controlled flight by an aircraft on another planet.DJI Phantom, a small civilian quadcopter designed for commercial and recreational aerial photography.
Signals intelligenceSignals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication (electronic intelligence—abbreviated to ELINT). As classified and sensitive information is usually encrypted, signals intelligence may necessarily involve cryptanalysis (to decipher the messages).ReconnaissanceIn military operations, reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnaissance is abbreviated to recce (in British, Canadian, Australian English) and to recon (in American English), both derived from the root word reconnoitre / reconnoitering.
Aerial photographyAerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or "drones"), balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, pigeons, kites, or using action cameras while skydiving or wingsuiting.Measurement and signature intelligenceTechnical branch of intelligence gathering Part of a series on theIntelligence field and Intelligence Phases of Intelligence Intelligence cycle Intelligence cycle management Espionage Intelligence assessment Intelligence analysis Intelligence collection plan Framework Agent handling Blowback (intelligence) Clandestine HUMINT operational techniques Code name History of espionage Intelligence failure Intelligence requirement Intelligence law Intelligence studies Intelligence sharing Recruitment of spies Security sector governance and reform Total Espionage doctrine Treason Areas of Intelligence Raw intelligence All-source intelligence Counterintelligence I.S.R. Military intelligence Air intelligence Naval intelligence Clandestine human intelligence Basic intelligence Strategic intelligence Criminal intelligence Human intelligence Open-source intelligence Technical intelligence Signals intelligence Communications intelligence Electronic intelligence Cyber threat intelligence Measurement and signature intelligence Imagery intelligence Acoustical intelligence Geospatial intelligence Financial intelligence Medical intelligence Intelligence outsourcing Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence Telemetry intelligence Cyber espionage Nuclear espionage Sexpionage Tradecraft Corporate sector Industrial espionage Marketing intelligence Market intelligence Business intelligence Commercial intelligence People Asset (intelligence) Atomic spies Cover (intelligence gathering) Cutout (espionage) Double agent Field agent Intelligence officer Military attaché Mole (espionage) Resident spy Sleeper agent Special agent Station chief Walk-in agent Espionage organizations Foreign Intelligence Service Intelligence agency Intelligence community Private intelligence agency Spy ring Culture Intelligence literature Spy fiction Spy film Spy music International Spy Museum CIA library Kryptos OSS Society CIA Museum N.M.I.S.O. Stasimuseum Bletchley Park The Cold War Museum The Intelligence Summit Spyscape Spy Museum Berlin Spy Museum (Tampere) KGB Espionage Museum Tools Sentient (intelligence analysis system) Concealment device Stone Ghost Pinwale Microdot Threat Intelligence Platform The Thing Enigma machine Synthetic Environment for Analysis and Simulations Lists List of intelligence agencies List of intelligence gathering disciplines List of awards List of defunct intelligence agencies Related topics Counterintelligence state National security Surveillance Global surveillance Disguise Reconnaissance Target acquisition Assassination Criminal investigation Codebreaking Propaganda Graphology Paramilitary Cybersecurity vte Measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) is an intelligence discipline that uses scientific and technical analysis of data from sensing instruments to detect, measure, identify, or characterize the distinctive features ("signatures") of targets.
RadarObject detection system using radio wavesLong-range radar antenna, used to track space objects and ballistic missiles.Radar of the type used for detection of aircraft. It rotates steadily, sweeping the airspace with a narrow beam.Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (ranging), direction (azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site.
SurveillanceSurveillance is the systematic observation and monitoring of a person, population, or location, with the purpose of information-gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. It is widely used by governments for a variety of reasons, such as law enforcement, national security, and information awareness.
Artillery observerAn artillery observer, artillery spotter, or forward observer (FO) is a soldier responsible for directing artillery and mortarfire support onto a target. An artillery observer usually accompanies a tank or infantry unit. Spotters ensure that indirect fire hits targets which those at a fire support base cannot see. HistoryHistorically, the range of artillery steadily increased over the centuries.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.