ELINT Definition

ELINT Definition

Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) is the gathering of electronic intelligence. Not very helpful, huh? Well, let's start with intelligence gathering in general and move on from there.

Military Intelligence is the gathering and analysis of information towards an understanding of the enemy's capabilities. There are several methods of gathering this information.

Human Intelligence (HUMINT) Utilizing a person to gather intelligence. The quintessential spy who enters a foreign country to gather information. The spy interviews traitors, infiltrates installations and otherwise goes places and sees things he's not supposed to see. This includes debriefing defectors and interrogating prisoners.

Images Intelligence (IMINT) Obtaining visual intelligence. Spy planes and satellites fly high overhead to look down on enemy territory. A spy with a telephoto lens takes clandestine photographs of enemy facilities. Was once called PHOTINT, Photographic Intelligence, but satellites seldom use roll film anymore.

Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Technical and intelligence information derived from foreign communications by other than the intended recipient. This includes phone taps, mail tampering, parabolic microphones, room bugs and otherwise listening to or reading conversations believed by the enemy to be private and confidential.

Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Intelligence derived from the interception and analysis of hostile non-communications emitters. An ELINT aircraft might fly into enemy airspace to "listen" to the radars that are turned on or a satellite might intercept telemetry data from a missile test.

So, ELINT is actually a small portion of the broad range of intelligence gathering. In KAG, we use the term ELINT Fleet to refer to all those ships that exist and operate only (or primarily) as electronic entities.

Reference: "Top Secret: A Clandestine Operator's Glossary of Terms" by Bob Burton, 1986

Human Intelligence (HUMINT)	Utilizing a person to gather intelligence. The quintessential spy who enters a foreign country to gather information. The spy interviews traitors, infiltrates installations and otherwise goes places and sees things he's not supposed to see. This includes debriefing defectors and interrogating prisoners.
Images Intelligence (IMINT)	Obtaining visual intelligence. Spy planes and satellites fly high overhead to look down on enemy territory. A spy with a telephoto lens takes clandestine photographs of enemy facilities. Was once called PHOTINT, Photographic Intelligence, but satellites seldom use roll film anymore.
Communications Intelligence (COMINT)	Technical and intelligence information derived from foreign communications by other than the intended recipient. This includes phone taps, mail tampering, parabolic microphones, room bugs and otherwise listening to or reading conversations believed by the enemy to be private and confidential.
Electronic Intelligence (ELINT)	Intelligence derived from the interception and analysis of hostile non-communications emitters. An ELINT aircraft might fly into enemy airspace to "listen" to the radars that are turned on or a satellite might intercept telemetry data from a missile test.