Measurement and Signature Intelligence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since August 2006. |
Measurement and Signature Intelligence, or MASINT, refers to intelligence gathering activities that bring together disparate elements that do not fit within the definitions of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), or Human Intelligence (HUMINT).
According to the United States Department of Defense, MASINT is technically derived intelligence (excluding traditional imagery [IMINT]and signals intelligence [SIGINT])that when collected, processed, and analyzed by dedicated MASINT systems, results in intelligence that detects, tracks, identifies, or describes the signatures (distinctive characteristics) of fixed or dynamic target sources. MASINT was recognized as a formal intelligence discipline in 1986.
Within the US Intelligence Community the Central MASINT Office of the Defense Intelligence Agency is the central collection agency for MASINT.
MASINT includes:
- Radar Intelligence (RADINT)
- Acoustic Intelligence (ACINT)
- Nuclear Intelligence (NUCINT)
- Radio Frequency/Electromagnetic Pulse Intelligence (RF/EMPINT)
- Electro-optical Intelligence (ELECTRO-OPTINT)
- Laser Intelligence (LASINT)
- Materials Intelligence
- Unintentional Radiation Intelligence (RINT)
- Chemical and Biological Intelligence (CBINT)
- Directed Energy Weapons Intelligence (DEWINT)
- Effluent/Debris Collection
- Spectroscopic Intelligence
- Infrared Intelligence (IRINT).
MASINT can be broken down into six categories, based on what is being analyzed.
- Electro-optical
- Radar
- Radio
- Nuclear
- Materials
- Seismic
Some analysts would argue that Radar and Radio should be combined, and others are of the opinion that the entire electro-magnetic spectrum should be in the same category.
