Common Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) Definitions
Which may be helpful when using this site and the linked information provided.
AFSS (USAFSS): Air Force Security Service (now Air Intelligence Agency). Air Force Cryptologic
and SIGINT operating element.
ASA (USASA): Army Security Agency (United States Army Security Agency). 1945 - 1976. (successor USAINSCOM
since 1977) US Army Cryptologic/SIGINT operating element.
Bearing/Shot: See LOB.
COMINT: Communications Intelligence. Technical (such as Traffic Analysis) and intelligence information
derived from foreign communications by other than the intended recipients.
DF/RDF/HFDF/ARDF: Direction Finding/Radio Direction Finding/High Frequency (Radio) Direction
Finding/Airborne Radio Direction Finding.
DIA: Defense Intelligence Agency (US Department of Defense).
DUFFY: In ASA a Radio Direction Finding Operator. Origins may be with the British from World War
II when R/DF was often referred to as "Huff-Duff".
ELINT: Electronic Intelligence.
Fix/Plot: Determining the location of a radio emitter by triangulation and evaluation of LOB (on appropriate
maps/charts) received from several radio direction finding sties.
GCHQ: Government Communications Headquarters. United Kingdom organization with similar responsibilities as
the NSA.
HUMINT: Human Intelligence. CIA and DIA in the US have primary responsibility.
INSCOM (USINSCOM): Intelligence & Security Command (United States Army Intelligence & Security
Command). Replacement organization of the ASA. Formed 1977 using ASA elements and other intelligence elements of
the US Army.
LOB: Line of Bearing. Azimuth bearing from a direction finding site to a distant target radio signal
emitter. (Example: 048 degrees from True North)
MOS: Military Occupational Specialty -- Army
NSA (NSA/CSS): National Security Agency (US Department of Defense-DOD). NSA/CSS - National Security
Agency/Central Sercurity Service (siginifying NSA operational control of much of the SCAs SIGINT operations.)
NSG/NSGA: Naval Security Group/Naval Security Group Activity. US Navy Cryptologic operating element/unit.
1935 - 2005
RFP/AIT: Radio Fingerprinting/Advanced Identification Techniques. The technique of identifying specific
radio emitters by their unique signal characteristics. Very similar in concept to fingerprinting individuals. From
NSA:
(U) Radio Fingerprinting (RFP) - identify and
classify the unique characteristics of individual radio transmitters by the study of oscillograms of their
signals. Also called transmitter identification.
From a friend: "Radio Fingerprinting was the analysis of frequency & amplitude modulations to
determine similarities and distinctions. The signals were captured with a hi-speed camera using =
paper-based film and developed via a special processing machine. There were analysts specially trained to do
the analysis. There was also a trick on being the operator as a primary goal was to capture a majority of
"dahs" vice "dits". You also had to be aware of just when the target was about to stop transmitting or else
you just might push the "record" button and waste 20 ft of film!"
RRC/G/FS: Radio Research. Cover designation for Army Security Agency units during the
Vietnam conflict. Such as: 509th Radio Research Group (509th RRG); 330th RRC (330th ASA Company); 303rd RRBN
(303rd Army Security Agency Battalion); 8th RRFS (8th ASA Field Station).
SCA: Service Cryptologic Agency(Activity). Army Security Agency, Naval Security
Groups, Air Force Security Service.
SIT/AIT: Special Identification Techniques/Advanced Identification Techniques. ASA/INSCOM
usage. Within the Army, consisted of the disciplines of Radio Direction Finding, Radio Fingerprinting (RFP)
later referred to as Wave Form Analysis. Discipline included the collection of the data, plotting or analyzing
and reporting results to requesting section/department and/or supported command and national authority
levels.
SIGINT: Signals Intelligence. NSA/CSS: "SIGINT is a category of intelligence that includes transmissions
associated with communications, radars, and weapons systems used by our adversaries. It complements other forms of
intelligence that are the responsibility of other U.S. agencies in the Intelligence Community. For example, Human
Intelligence (HUMINT) is primarily the responsibility of the Central Intelligence Agency and Defense Intelligence
Agency, and Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) belongs to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Together, all of
these different - yet complementary - disciplines give our Nation's leaders a greater understanding of the
intentions of our enemies."
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