FISINT

FISINT stands for Foreign Instrumentation Signals INTelligence. (JCS Pub 1-02) ^[1] defines it as "Technical information and intelligence derived from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of non-US aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems." Since it deals with signals that are not exchanged by humans, it is a subset of ELINT, which, in turn, is a subset of SIGINT.

Typical examples of such communication include:

• Telemetry data (TELINT). Missiles, satellites, and other remotely-monitored devices often transmit streams of data concerning their location, speed, engine status and other metrics.

• Video data links. These may be present in UAVs or from satellites used for reconnaissance.

Strategic significance of TELINT

TELINT is one of the "national means of technical verification" mentioned, but not detailed, in the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) between the US and USSR. This data can provide valuable information on the actual performance of the missile and especially its throw-weight, i.e. the potential size of its nuclear warheads. The (SALT I) treaty language ^[2] "the agreements include provisions that are important steps to strengthen assurance against violations: both sides undertake not to interfere with national technical means of verification. In addition, both countries agree not to use deliberate concealment measures to impede verification." refers to, in part, a technical agreement not to encrypt strategic test telemetry and thus impede verification by TELINT.

References

See also

• ELINT: Electronic intelligence
• HUMINT: Human intelligence
• COMINT: Communications intelligence
• SIGINT: Signals intelligence
• IMINT: Imagery intelligence
• Missile guidance

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