ABSTRACT
Management of four different types of intelligence collection—satellite imagery, signals intelligence (SIGINT), measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), and human intelligence (HUMINT)—reflects both the commonality and diversity of the operations and collection systems employed by the Intelligence Community. Imagery is collected largely by satellites and aircraft, while SIGINT and MASINT rely, in addition to space and aerial systems, on ground- and sea-based as well as undersea platforms. And human intelligence is quite a different method of collection. Managing covert action is yet another aspect of the management task. Inadequate management can result not only in an inefficient use of resources but in serious international consequences—as President John F. Kennedy discovered after the failure of the April 1961 Bay of Pigs operation. A further management task is controlling access to information about intelligence collection and covert action operations.
