Classification of open source intelligence in military operations
Generally, under intelligence, the U.S. military divides open-source intelligence used in military operations into three categories: strategic intelligence, operational intelligence, and tactical intelligence.
Strategic intelligence
Strategic intelligence refers to the
intelligence needed to formulate policy or military plans at the national and
international levels. Strategic intelligence operations need to consider the entire
nation, months, years, and beyond. The information mainly involved can be divided
into the following nine aspects:
1. Character (biographical) information
Refers to current and potential important people and their backgrounds,
personalities, etc. Including: education and career experience; personal
achievement; hobbies, habits; position, influence and potential; business hobbies
and value orientation.
2. Economic Intelligence
Including:
economic warfare; economic vulnerability; manufacturing; sources of economic power.
3. Social intelligence
It mainly examines society, groups in society
and their composition, organization, purpose, habits, and the role status of certain
individuals in social organizations. Including: population, labor force; people's
cultural and material living conditions; public opinion; education; religion; public
health and welfare.
4. Traffic information
That is, information
about the facilities and operations of foreign transportation systems. Including:
railways; highways; waterways, waterways; oil and gas pipelines; ports; commercial
shipping; aviation.
5. Telecommunications Intelligence
That is,
information about foreign civilian and military fixed communication system
facilities and operations. Including: radio; television; telephone; telegraph;
submarine cables; media.
6. Military Geography
Geography is the
science that describes the distribution of land, sea, sky, and flora and fauna
(including humans, industry, etc.). Military geographic intelligence is the
assessment of all geographic factors that may affect military operations in some
way. Including: description; natural landforms; man-made landforms; names of various
parts; topographical landforms; human and cultural geography.
7. Armed
Forces Intelligence
That is, the comprehensive study of foreign organized
land, sea, and air forces (both existing and potential). Including: a country's
strategic military issues, involving geopolitical, terrain, economic, political and
other factors, as well as the use of weapon systems, the use and actions of various
arms and services, special operations training, logistics, organization, and
military strength.
8. Political Intelligence
Political intelligence
is information about foreign and domestic government policies and political
movements. Including: Fundamentals of Government, National Policy; Government
Structure; Foreign Policy; Political Organizations, Parties; Political Procedures;
Public Order and Safety; Subversive Activities; Intelligence and Security
Organizations; Propaganda.
9. Scientific and technical information
That
is, the study and assessment of foreign scientific and technological capabilities
and their potential to support their goals through the development of new weapons
and equipment. Including: new weapons and equipment; missiles and space; nuclear,
biological and chemical; basic science and applied science.
Operational
intelligence
Operational intelligence refers to the geographic
resources, regional situation, social factors, religious composition, and logistical
support within the jurisdiction of the theater.
Tactical
intelligence
Tactical intelligence refers to the intelligence
needed to plan and execute tactical operations. Tactical intelligence operations
should be adapted to military operations on the battlefield, usually in direct
contact with the enemy, and need to face villages, towns, or local tribes and
people. For example: geospatial information, weather conditions, public psychology,
civil infrastructure, transportation network, imaging system, etc.