INTELLIGENCE OPS

by David Nuttle

The forms of intelligence operations include human, electronic, communications, satellite, and special. Such operations are mostly covert and undertaken by governments as well as some businesses. These efforts are primarily to assess enemy plans and capabilities, or the details on a competitive business. Typical objectives of such expensive and extensive ops are to:

a) Gain an advantage or create opportunities.

b) Mitigate risks and make informed decisions.

c) Avoid costly mistakes.

d) Facilitate a covert action activity.

e) Assures agility in an operational environment.

f) Formulate needed effective strategies.

g Improves real-time insights and related performance.

In an armed combat situation, counterintelligence capabilities need to be perfected and fully sustained to deter enemy intelligence operations. During the Vietnam War communist forces had great intelligence and Ngo Dien Diem's military forces for South Vietnam, ARVN, often had poor counterintelligence so they suffered losses because of this. In the business world, the PRC (China) has the most aggressive intelligence program that is being used to steel U. S. IP (intellectual property).

Intelligence and counterintelligence operations are costly, time and resource consuming, while sometimes costing the lives of those involved.