MASINT

US Forces Acoustic MASINT Sensor UTAMS (2010)

Sonar buoys under an aircraft during a NATO exercise (2006)

German artillery location radar COBRA (2005)

MASINT ( English measurement and signature intelligence ) is an intelligence method to obtain information.

It consists of recording and evaluating unintentional emissions from the objects to be scouted out. This can be, for example, electromagnetic radiation, sound or chemical traces.

Disciplines

In the US armed forces , MASINT is managed by the Defense Intelligence Agency and there are six disciplines:

electro-optical MASINT ( electro-optical MASINT )

Examples: thermal imaging camera , SPRN-2 Prognos

Nuclear MASINT ( nuclear MASINT )

Example: Vela (satellite)

geophysical MASINT ( geophysical MASINT )

Examples: Sonoboje , SOSUS

Radar MASINT ( Radar MASINT )

Example: artillery reconnaissance radar

Substances MASINT ( materials MASINT )

Example: the Fuchs ABC tracer tank

High frequency MASINT ( radiofrequency MASINT ).

Example: Van Eck phreaking

Web links

National Consortium for MASINT Research

Individual evidence

↑ Department of Defense instruction 5105.58
^ Matthew M. Aid : Measurement and signature intelligence , pp. 120-122. In: Robert Dover, Michael S. Goodman, Claudia Hillebrand (Eds.): Routledge companion to intelligence studies. Pages 114-122. Routledge, London 2013.

[1] Department of Defense instruction 5105.58

[2] Matthew M. Aid : Measurement and signature intelligence , pp. 120-122. In: Robert Dover, Michael S. Goodman, Claudia Hillebrand (Eds.): Routledge companion to intelligence studies. Pages 114-122. Routledge, London 2013.