Editing Military intelligence (section)

{{Short description|Information about military opponents}}
{{Redirect|Defense intelligence|other uses|Defense intelligence (disambiguation)|and|Military Intelligence (disambiguation)}}
{{Multiple issues|{{more citations needed|date=December 2015}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=April 2009}}}}
{{Intelligence}}[[File:Marines gather intelligence from Afghans (4618090367) (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|A platoon commander of the [[1st Marine Logistics Group]], with the battalion interpreter, gather intelligence from local Afghans during a combat logistics patrol to the area, May 9, 2010.]]
{{History of war}}
'''Military intelligence''' is a [[military]] discipline that uses information collection and analysis [[List of intelligence gathering disciplines|approaches]] to provide guidance and direction to assist [[Commanding officer|commanders]] in [[decision making process|their decisions]].<ref>{{cite book | doi=10.1007/0-387-23483-7_189 | chapter=HTTPS, Secure HTTPS | title=Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security | date=2005 | last1=Pedersen | first1=Torben | pages=268–269 | isbn=978-0-387-23473-1 }}</ref> This aim is achieved by providing an [[intelligence analysis|assessment]] of data from a range of sources, directed towards the commanders' mission requirements or responding to questions as part of operational or campaign planning. To provide an analysis, the commander's information requirements are first identified, which are then incorporated into intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Areas of study may include the operational environment, hostile, friendly and neutral forces, the civilian population in an area of combat operations, and other broader areas of interest.<ref>
{{cite web| title = University Catalog 2011/2012, Master Courses: pp.99, size: 17MB| url = http://www.ni-u.edu/pdf/NIU_Catalog_2011.pdf| publisher = US National Intelligence University| access-date = 28 March 2012| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120123164032/http://www.ni-u.edu/pdf/NIU_Catalog_2011.pdf| archive-date = 23 January 2012}}
</ref> Intelligence activities are conducted at all levels, from tactical to strategic, in peacetime, the period of transition to war, and during a war itself.

Most governments maintain a military intelligence capability to provide analytical and information collection personnel in both specialist units and from other arms and services. The military and civilian intelligence capabilities collaborate to inform the spectrum of political and military activities.

Personnel performing intelligence duties may be selected for their analytical abilities and personal intelligence before receiving formal training.