Intelligence gathering and education

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

News acquisition and reconnaissance ( NG&A ) by military forces refers to the acquisition and recording of information and messages on the situation in areas of interest, crisis and operational areas, their evaluation as well as situation-dependent, order-related and needs-based provision. Obtaining intelligence and reconnaissance can take place on a strategic (global), operational (extensive) and tactical level (operational area, battlefield). In addition to news management (situation processing and reporting) and military security (MilSichh), it is a sub-area of military intelligence ( basic command area  2).

News acquisition

The intelligence gathering ( English intelligence collection ) of the armed forces includes the collection and analysis of information using open means and methods and without technical sensor applications. Its aim is to gain knowledge about the (military) political and military situation.

News gathering uses all available sources and is complementary to education. The focus is on people as a source and for collecting information and news. Forces for intelligence gathering, in particular field intelligence personnel , are deployed in the preparatory phase of all armed forces deployments and thus contribute at an early stage to a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the situation.

Evaluation of open sources

The evaluation of open sources is also known as Open Source Intelligence . It can include general media coverage, trade magazines , the internet, and social media . The latter is known as Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT).

Military attachés

Military attachés provide information about the situation in their area of ​​responsibility as part of their mandate. To do this, they hold talks with relevant local actors and collect and evaluate the open sources available on site.

Interviewing and questioning

One means of obtaining news is questioning and goal-oriented conversation ( HUMINT ). Can be asked e.g. B. Prisoners of war , civilians in the operational area, refugees, insurgents, minorities, opponents of the regime, officials and their own citizens. The field intelligence forces are specialized in this . As far as possible, questioning and conducting discussions are also part of the general tasks of your own troops.

Through the cooperation and the exchange of information with international or national police as well as civil institutions and aid organizations ( NGO ) in the operational area within the framework of civil-military cooperation , knowledge can also be gained.

Foreign defense material

The technical evaluation of foreign defense material and their technical documentation is just as much a part of intelligence gathering as the evaluation of other booty material such as objects that prisoners of war have carried with them or that have been found in some other way (e.g. notes, (location) maps). Field intelligence officers are commissioned and specially qualified to do this.

enlightenment

Enlightenment ( English reconnaissance ) is based, in contrast to the acquisition and procurement of information, on the use of technology for information acquisition. It includes the collection and evaluation of the reconnaissance results recorded by technical sensors and visual observation. It can be used to guide operations, assess the situation and create maps .

Reconnaissance aircraft and maritime patrols can carry sensors for telecommunication and electronic as well as imaging reconnaissance .

Telecommunication and electronic reconnaissance

Telecommunication and electronic reconnaissance encompasses telecommunication and electronic reconnaissance with technical means in the entire frequency spectrum by searching, recording, locating, evaluating and evaluating. This also includes signal reconnaissance from foreign instruments (FISINT) and Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT).

The location of a radio station can provide essential information on the nature and intent of the enemy as condensed information from a large number of observations - for example, in the field of naval reconnaissance, the locations of submarines or capital ships and ship formations.

Reconnaissance ships such as the Bundeswehr fleet service boats are used for telecommunications and electronic reconnaissance.

Fixed radar devices such as the RRP 117 are operated by the Air Force's operations command service and are used to determine the air situation. Mobile land-based radar devices such as the Fuchs TPz 1 A8A6 PARA RASIT or the artillery observation radar can detect marching columns, individual vehicles or people, depending on the distance. An artillery locating radar can fire positions of rocket and artillery tube as well as mortars enlighten. Radar devices used on ships can monitor sea areas and airspace over a wide area. Airborne radar systems are used, for example, in the AWACS aircraft for air surveillance or in the Boeing E-8 Joint STARS for reconnaissance for land forces. Remote Battlefield Sensor Systems can act as ground sensors to record signals.

Imaging education

Imaging reconnaissance is carried out using optical, infrared , radar and other sensors. These sensors can be carried by satellites for remote sensing , manned and unmanned aircraft . Findings from the imaging reconnaissance are obtained, among other things, by evaluating satellite and aerial images. Historically, reconnaissance balloons , observation airships and reconnaissance baskets were used.

In the Bundeswehr there is the central imaging reconnaissance , which is subordinate to the strategic reconnaissance command. A German system of reconnaissance satellites is SAR-Lupe . Its successor is said to be the SARah .

Acoustic / hydroacoustic reconnaissance

Acoustic / hydroacoustic reconnaissance also belongs to the reconnaissance. In the navy, for example, this takes place in the marine coastal station Marienuchter and by sonar . In the army there are artillery sound measuring systems to locate enemy firing positions.

Reconnaissance

Spähaufklärung ( English scout reconnaissance ) is the elucidation of enemy forces and means ground-based, by eye observation, often with technical assistance rendered and enforced if necessary by battle. Reconnaissance is carried out by army reconnaissance forces , long-distance reconnaissance forces and special forces . For reconnaissance in the Bundeswehr z. B. the scout car Fennek used.

Combat reconnaissance

The combat reconnaissance ( English tactical reconnaissance ) is to gain information about the enemy through observation of the battlefield and the deployment of reconnaissance troops and thereby prevent surprises. It is a common task in land operations.

Levels

Strategically

Obtaining intelligence and providing information on a strategic level primarily serves to inform the political leadership in order to support their decision-making. It is intended to gain knowledge about the enemy armaments potential, new developments of weapons and the spatial distribution , strength, equipment, morale and training of foreign forces. The military and industrial resources of other states and alliances are also part of the research interest. In the evaluation of strategic reconnaissance results, statistical methods are also used - for example historically with the German tank problem on the part of the Allies about the prediction of production resources in tank construction on the German side.

Operational

Intelligence acquisition and reconnaissance at the operational level aims at the intentions and the extensive distribution of opposing forces at the level of large military units , also in the depths of the area.

Tactical

Obtaining intelligence and reconnaissance at the tactical level serves to obtain knowledge that is required for direct combat management. This includes the type, movement, location, strength and behavior of opposing forces as well as their intentions.

On the tactical level, intelligence and reconnaissance carried out by reconnaissance forces and means of their own association , such as the reconnaissance and communications circuit, the use of reconnaissance, patrols and troops own mini-UAVs and reconnaissance assets that are subject to the Association of the next higher management level. In addition, it is the duty of every soldier to watch his environment vigilantly and to report relevant circumstances. The reports from the coordination elements of the joint armed forces tactical fire support contribute to the consolidation of the situation report .

Demarcation

News gathering

In contrast to news gathering, news acquisition is not carried out openly, but with intelligence means and methods. It is not carried out by the troops, but by intelligence services authorized for this purpose with technical and non-technical means. In Germany this is the task of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND).

Military security

Military security serves to protect armed forces and their families from espionage , sabotage , extremism , terrorism and other activities and endeavors that endanger security. It is based on the complementary skills for protection and shielding.

validation

Protection comprises personnel, organizational and material measures to protect facilities and units, which all service units in particular must be able to do.

shielding

Shielding is a comprehensive term that describes all activities of the Military Shielding Service (MAD) in its core mission. This includes counter-espionage , extremism and terrorism as well as personal and material security and sabotage protection . In foreign missions of the German armed forces, the MAD carries out "deployment shielding". The aim of the shield is to protect and ensure the operational readiness of the troops.

literature

  • Reinhard Scholzen : Army reconnaissance . Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-613-03408-2 .
  • Federal Ministry of Defense (Hrsg.): Conception of the Bundeswehr . 2004, p. 34 ff .
  • HDv 100/900 leadership terms .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Rolf Katzenbeisser: Military use of remote sensing satellites. (PDF) In: War in the ether. Foundation Historical Army Material Command Support, accessed on March 7, 2016 (lectures at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich in the 1989/1990 winter semester).