NATIONAL  SECLfP.iPi'  CCUN'CIL   iNTELLIGENCE 
DIRECTIVE   NO.   6' 
SIGNALS   INTELLIGENCE  '     
• 
(Effective  17  February  1972) 
Signals  Intelligence  (SrCEXT),  v.hich  comprises  Communications  Intelligence 
(COMIXT)  am!  Electronics  Intc:!i::e:"e  (ELIXT).  and  the  activities  pertain- 
ing thereto  arc  r.a'iomil  responsibilities  and  must  he  so  .organized  and  managed 
as  to  exploit  to  the  m.eumem  the  avuileb'e  resources  of  the  Government,  to  satisfy 
the  intelligence  needs  of  the  National  Security  Council  end  die  departments  and 
agencies  of  the  Government,  and  to  provide  for  efficiency  and  economy  in  the 
use  of  technical  re-sources.  Therefore,  pursuant  to  the  National' Security  Act  of 
19-J7,  as  amended,  die  National  Security  Council  authorizes  and  directs  that 
SIGINT  acuities  sliAl  be  conducted  as  prescribed  herein.  .    ^  \ 
\ 
1.  Dcf initio r.s 
For  the  purpose  of  this  directive,  the  terms  "Communications  Intelligence"  cr 
"COMINT"  snail  be  construed  to  mean  technical  and  intelligence  information 
derived  from  foreign  communications  by  other  than  the  intended  recipients. 
COMINT  activities  shall  be  construed  to  mean  those  activities  diet  produce 
COMIXT  by  the  collection  and  processing  of  foreign  communications  passed  by 
radio,  wire  or  other  electromagnetic  means,  with  sr}czi:ic  exceptions  stated  hrlr.w. 
2nd  bv. die. processing  cf  foreign  encrypted  communications,  however  transmitted. 
-Collection  comprises  search,  intercept  and  direction  finding.  Processing  com- 
prises range  estimation,  transmitter/operator  identification,  signal  analysis,  Lraific 
analysis,  cryptan.alysis,  decryption,  study  c:  phiin.  text,  the  fusion  of  these  processes, 
and  the  reporting  cf  results. 
COMINT  and  COMINT  activities  as  defined  herein  shall  not  include  (^j  any 
intercept  and  processing  of  unencrypted  written  communications,  press  and 
propaganda  broadcasts,  or  (b)  censorship. 
ELINT  activities  are  defined  as  the  collection  (observation  and  recording), 
and  tlic  processing  for  subsequent  intelligence  purposes,  of  information  derived 
from  foreign,  non-cc.-r.nrjnieations,  electromagnetic  radiations  emanating  from 
other  than  atomic  detonation  or  radioactive  sources.  ELINT  is  die  technical  and 
intelligence  information  product  of  ELIXT  activities. 
2.  The  Director  of  Centre!  Intelligence 
Consistent  with  his  responsibilities  as  set  forth  in  NSCID  Nos.  1,  2  and  3, 
.the  Director  cf  Central  Intelligence  shall: 
REMAINDER  OF  DOCUMENT  EXEMPT  FROM  DISCLOSURE.
(Page   1) 
NATIONAL  SECURITY  COUNCIL  INTELLIGENCE 
DIRECTIVE  NO.  6 
SIGNALS  INTELLIGENCE 
(Effective  17  February  1972) 
Signals  Intelligence  (SIGINT),  which  comprises  Communications 
Intelligence  (COMINT)  and  Electronics  Intelligence  (ELINT),  and  the  activities 
pertaining  thereto  are  national  priorities  and  must  be  so  organized  and  managed  as 
to  exploit  to  the  maximum  the  available  resources  of  the  Government,  to  satisfy  the 
intelligence  needs  of  the  National  Security  Council  and  the  departments  and 
agencies  of  the  Government,  and  to  provide  for  efficiency  and  economy  in  the  use  of 
technical  resources.  Therefore,  pursuant  to  the  National  Security  Act  of  1947,  as 
amended,  the  National  Security  Council  authorizes  and  directs  that  SIGINT 
activities  shall  be  conducted  as  prescribed  herein. 
1.         Definitions 
For  the  purpose  of  this  directive,  the  terms  "Communications  Intelligence"  or 
"COMINT'  shall  be  construed  to  mean  technical  and  intelligence  information 
derived  from  foreign  communications  by  other  than  the  intended  recipients. 
COMINT  activities  shall  be  construed  to  mean  those  activities  that  produce 
COMINT  by  the  collection  and  processing  of  foreign  communications  passed  by 
radio,  wire  or  other  electromagnetic  means,  with  specific  exceptions  stated  below, 
and  by  the  processing  of  foreign  encrypted  communications,  however  transmitted. 
Collection  comprises  search,  intercept  and  direction  finding.  Processing  comprises 
range  estimation,  transmitter/operator  identification,  signal  analysis,  traffic  analysis, 
cryptanalysis,  decryption,  study  of  plain  text,  the  fusion  of  these  processes,  and  the 
reporting  of  results. 
COMINT  and  COMINT  activities  as  defined  herein  shall  not  include  (a)  any 
intercept  and  processing  of  unencrypted  written  communications,  press  and 
propaganda  broadcasts,  or  (b)  censorship. 
ELINT  activities  are  defined  as  the  collection  (observation  and  recording), 
and  the  processing  for  subsequent  intelligence  purposes,  of  information  derived 
from  foreign,  non-communications,  electromagnetic  radiations  emanating  from 
other  than  atomic  detonation  or  radioactive  sources.  ELINT  is  the  technical  and 
intelligence  information  product  of  ELINT  activities. 
2.         The  Director  of  Central  Intelligence 
Consistent  with  his  responsibilities  as  set  forth  in  NSCID  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3,  the 
Director  of  Central  Intelligence  shall: