Intelligence Cycle

by D.Fritz

Abstract
The essay provides an overview of Intelligence cycle model and how they work together interdependently to create intelligence. This essay also gives an overview of how the intelligence community operates and how it interacts with the policy makers.
[Title Here, up to 12 Words, on One to Two Lines]
Why do intelligence exist? According to Mark M. Lowenthal, “intelligence exist because governments seek to hide some information from other governments”(p.1). Eventually, governments also want to find out information other governments are hiding. The role of intelligence is to provide these information to our government, specifically, the policy makers. To accomplish this mission involves tasking, collecting, processing, exploiting, disseminating and storing intelligence, also referred as the intelligence cycle.

Tasking is the first stage of the intelligence cycle. During this stage, one needs to know what are the specific requirements of the intelligence and how it can be satisfied. On the top of the “intelligence chain” the director of national intelligence (DNI) would have to determine what intelligence the intelligence community would need to pursue and the priority of the intelligence based mainly on the preferences of the policy makers. Once determined, the information is passed all the way down the chain to the analysts to prioritize the collection requirements.

Collection is divided into four categories: HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT. HUMINT is done by sending out agents to collect information. It could be collecting information through conversation or collecting items of intelligence value. SIGINT is done by intercepting information with a collection equipment. IMINT uses space-based, aerial and ground-based systems to take infrared images. MASINT is the collection of data that describes distinct characteristics of an event. It is also capable of providing specific weapon identification as well as a potential adversaries ability to employ such weapon.
The information collected through these sources are collected in codes that needs to be deciphered. With the help of an all-source analyst and a variety of special software, the collected raw data is converted into various forms of human readable information that can be displayed on a monitor. This portion of the cycle is also known as processing.

After the raw data is processed, the voice signals and other printed materials in foreign languages are sent to the linguist for translation. The linguist translates the target language into English and sends it back to the analyst. The analyst gathers the translated materials, images, written material, contact information and previous information on the subject and puts it together to form a report that has true intelligence value. This completes the exploitation process in the cycle.

Once the report is proof-read by other analysts and approved by the manager, the report is sent up the chain to the requestor who would then present the report to the policy makers. This process is also known as dissemination. Once the report is back up the chain, it is really a matter of “luck” to get a good feedback from the policy makers. In most cases the policy makers have already made up their mind, often through a “thorough case study”. If the intelligence does not match his/her idea then it is only good for reference. At last, the report is published and stored electronically on a secured website as well as a group storage unit by the analyst for historical access.

The intelligence cycle is a standard model that was used by the United States for over sixty years. It may not be a model that is always successful but it is a model that maintained stability for the intelligence community for so many years. The intelligence cycle may not have the power to dictate intelligence work but it provides guidance on how to benefit from intelligence. As we benefit from intelligence, we are aware of our foreign adversary’s intentions and we will avoid all strategic surprises by our foreign adversaries.

References
Lowenthal , Mark M. (2014). Intelligence, SAGE, Chapter 1&4.
Pythian, Mark. (2013) Understanding the Intelligence Cycle, Routledge, pg 132