Editing Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence

{{Intelligence}}

'''Foreign instrumentation signals intelligence''', '''FISINT''' (''F''oreign ''I''nstrumentation ''S''ignature ''INT''elligence) is [[intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] from the interception of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of foreign aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems.<ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/about/faqs/terms_acronyms.shtml NSA-faq]</ref> Since it deals with signals that have communicational content, it is a subset of [[Signals intelligence#Communications Intelligence|Communications Intelligence (COMINT)]], which, in turn, is a subset of [[SIGINT]]. Unlike general COMINT signals, the content of FISINT signals is not in regular human language, but rather in [[machine to machine]] (instrumentation) language or in a combination of regular human language and instrumentation language. FISINT is also considered as a subset of [[MASINT]] (measurement and signature intelligence).

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 from [[unmanned aerial vehicle|UAV]]s or from satellites used for reconnaissance.
*Remote access and control transmissions, such as from [[remote keyless system]]s and wireless [[traffic light control and coordination|traffic light control]] systems.
*Command signals used in [[teleoperation]], such as the control of aerial vehicles, missiles and [[telerobotics|remotely-controlled robots]].

==Telecommunications==

In [[telecommunications]], the term FISINT has the following meanings: 
# Intelligence [[information]] derived from electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of foreign aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems. 
#Technical information and intelligence information derived from the [[Signals intelligence|intercept]] of foreign instrumentation signals by other than the intended recipients. Foreign instrumentation [[signals intelligence]] is a category of signals intelligence. 

Foreign instrumentation signals include but are not limited to signals from [[telemetry]], beaconry, electronic interrogators, tracking/fusing/arming/firing [[Command (computing)|command]] systems, and [[video]] [[data]] links.

==See also==
*[[SIGINT]]: Signals intelligence
**[[COMINT]]: Communications intelligence
**[[ELINT]]: Electronic intelligence
*[[HUMINT]]: Human intelligence
*[[IMINT]]: Imagery intelligence
*[[MASINT]]: Measurement and signature intelligence
*[[Missile guidance]]
*[[Intelligence collection management]]


==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{FS1037C}}
*{{DODDIC}}
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{{intelligence cycle management}}

[[Category:Intelligence gathering disciplines]]
[[Category:Signals intelligence]]
[[Category:Applications of cryptography]]

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