COMINT or Communications Intelligence plays a vital role in intercepting foreign communication signals without disturbing overt radio and television broadcasts. It is a vital part of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and sometimes includes Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) that collects electronic signals not used for communication in radar, for example.
A COMINT system focuses on intercepting, analyzing, and direction-finding targeted communication signals. It supports real-time decision making that can reveal the posture, activities, and intentions of the intercepted source. The main application of the COMINT system is to improve field awareness in the intelligence community.
The continually increasing density, diversity, and complexity of communications call for automated interception and analysis tools capable of detecting and locating potential threats. COMINT technology is unique in its ability to reveal the mindset, activities, and intentions of the intercepted source thanks to access to data and voice content.
COMINT is the subset of SIGINT that particularly deals with signals intended to be intelligible to humans in the form of speech, messages, or images. Simply put, it is the technical information and intelligence obtained from foreign communications by recipients other than the intended recipients.
FAQs
What is COMINT system?
A COMINT system is a tool that intercepts, analyses, and direction-finds targeted communication signals to improve field awareness, which is unique among intelligence collection systems.
What is the main application of the COMINT system?
The main application of the COMINT system is to improve field awareness in the intelligence community.
What is the difference between COMINT and SIGINT?
COMINT is a subset of SIGINT that particularly focuses on signals intended to be intelligible to humans in the form of messages, speech, or images. While SIGINT is a broader term that includes COMINT, ELINT, and other electronic data signal acquisition.
Final Thoughts
COMINT technology is an essential component of the intelligence community in intercepting and analyzing foreign communication signals. It offers invaluable benefits for analyzing the mindset, activities, and intentions of the intercepted source to improve field awareness. The continuous evolution of communication systems calls for highly automated means of interception and analysis as provided by COMINT technology.
