https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated November 29, 2022
Defense Primer: National and Defense Intelligence
The Intelligence Community (IC), comprising 18 statutory
elements (50 U.S.C. §3003(4)), is charged with providing
insight into actual or potential threats to the U.S. homeland,
the American people, and national interests at home and
abroad. It does so through the production of timely and
apolitical products and services. Intelligence products and
comprievaluation of information for its significance to
national security at the strategic, operational, and tactical
levels. Consumers of intelligence include the President, the
National Security Council (NSC), designated personnel in
executive branch departments and agencies, the military,
Congress, and the law enforcement community.
The IC is composed of 18 elements, 2 of which are
independent, and 16 of which are component organizations
of six separate departments of the federal government.
Many IC elements and most intelligence funding reside
within the Department of Defense (DOD).
Statutory IC Elements
DOD Elements:
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
National Security Agency (NSA)
U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
(AF/A2)
U.S. Space Force Intelligence (S-2)
U.S. Army Intelligence (G2)
U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Enterprise (MCISR-E)
U.S. Naval Intelligence (N2)
Non-DOD Elements:
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Department of Energy (DOE) intelligence component: Office of
Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence (I&CI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence components:
Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and U.S. Coast Guard
Intelligence (CG-2)
Department of Justice (DOJ) intelligence components: the Drug
Enforcement Agency’s Office of National Security Intelligence
(DEA/ONSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s Intelligence
Branch (IB)
Department of State (DOS) intelligence component: Bureau of
Intelligence and Research (INR)
Department of the Treasury intelligence component: Office of
Intelligence and Analysis (OIA)
Source: 50 U.S. Code §3003(4); ODNI.
National and Defense Intelligence
National intelligence addresses the strategic requirements
of national security policymakers such as the President and
the Secretaries of Defense and State. National intelligence
programs and activities are funded through National
Intelligence Program (NIP) budget appropriations, which
are a consolidation of appropriations for the ODNI, CIA,
general defense, and national cryptologic, reconnaissance,
geospatial, and other specialized intelligence programs. The
NIP, therefore, provides funding for not only the ODNI,
CIA, and IC elements of the Departments of Homeland
Security, Energy, the Treasury, Justice, and State, but also,
substantially, for the programs and activities of the
intelligence agencies within the DOD, to include the NSA,
NGA, DIA, and NRO.
Defense intelligence comprises the intelligence
organizations and capabilities of the Joint Staff, DIA,
combatant command joint intelligence centers, and the
military services that address strategic, operational, or
tactical requirements supporting military strategy, planning,
and operations. Defense intelligence provides products and
services on foreign military capabilities, plans and
intentions, orders-of-battle, disposition of forces, and the
political, cultural, and economic factors influencing the
environment in areas of actual or potential military
operations. Military Intelligence Program (MIP)
appropriations fund military service intelligence personnel,
their training, and tactical military intelligence programs
and activities. Since MIP appropriations relate to tactical
rather than strategic capabilities, they fund a narrower range
of programs than defense intelligence programs overall.
National and defense intelligence are not discrete
enterprises. The 18 organizational elements of the IC are
required to collaborate closely to address intelligence gaps
and disseminate products to appropriately cleared personnel
across the government in a timely manner. The IC also
leverages relationships with international partners to
address mutual national security concerns.
Who Does What?
Executive Order (EO) 12333, codified in 50 U.S.C. §3001,
establishes general duties and responsibilities for each
element of the IC. Other laws, executive orders, and policy
issuances may establish additional duties and
responsibilities for particular IC elements.
DIA is a DOD combat support agency that collects,
analyzes, and disseminates foreign military intelligence
to policymakers and the military. DIA serves as the
nation’s primary manager and producer of foreign
military intelligence; it manages the production of
intelligence for the Secretary of Defense, the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and the combatant commands.
NGA produces geospatial intelligence products and
services in support of policymakers, warfighters, other
intelligence agencies, and first responders.
