R.. 
m.  ^.  *  .  ^  ^^!   * 
This  page  is  Unclassified 
UNGllttp 
January  25,  1973 
NUMBER  S-3115.7 
ASD(I) 
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:*« 
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Department  of  Defense  Directive 
SUBJECT  Signals  Intelligence  (SIGINT)  (U) 
Refs. :      {a)    National  Security  Council  Intelligence  Directive 
No.   6,  "Signals  Intelligence",-  (U)  February  17,  1972 
(b)  DoD  Directive  S-5100.  20 ,  "The  National  Security 
Agency  and  the  Central  Security  Service11,  (U) 
December  23,  1971 
(c)  The  National  Security  Agency/ Central  Security 
Service  Organization  Plan,  (U)  April  14,  197^  ±J 
(d)  DoD  Directive  S- 3115,. 2,  "Electronics  Intelligence 
(ELINT)",  (U)  February  7,  1967  (hereby  cancelled) 
(e)  DoD  Directive  S-3115.  4,  "Communications 
Intelligence  (COMINT)",  (U)  March  19,  1959 
(hereby  cancelled) 
I.        (U)    PURPOSE 
•    * 
* 
This  Directive  assigns  responsibilities,   roles  and 
missions  to  DoD  components  with  regard  to  the  SIGINT 
'         mission  of  the  United  States. 
H.      (U)    CANCELLATION 
References  (d)  and  (e)  are  hereby  superseded  and 
cancelled. 
*  .  « 
in.     (U)    APPLICABILITY 
The  provisions  of  this  Directive  apply  to  the  Office  of  the 
Secretary  of  Defense,  the  Military  Departments,  the  Joint 
1/ 
.  OASD(I) 
on  a  need-to-know  basis.     Copies 
from 
-  „*•_ 
*  f 
*.* 
Classified  by  DASD(RtM),  OASD(I) 
Exempt  from  General  Declassification 
Schedule  of  Executive  Order  11652 
Exemption  Category  2    •  f~    •   ■  • 
Declassify  on  (Impossible  to 
IftlASSlFiED
Chiefs  of  Staff,  the  Unified  and  Specified  Commands,  the 
Defense  Intelligence  Agency,  the  National  Security  Agency/ 
Central  Security  Service,  and  other  Defense  Agencies 
(herein  called  DoD  Components)* 
IV.       (U)    DEFINITIONS 
The  terms  applicable  to  this  Directive  are  defined  in 
enclosure  1. 
V.        A    POLICY 
• 
•  *      s* 
A.  (U)    In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  reference  (a), 
the  Secretary  of  Defense  is  the  Executive  Agent  of 
the  Government  for  the  direction,   supervision, 
funding,  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  National 
Security  Agency  (NSA)/Central  Security  Service 
(CSS)  as  the  unified  SIGINT  organization  of  the 
United  States.     The  Assistant  Secretary  of  Defense 
(Intelligence)  is  the  principal  6taff  advisor  and 
assistant  to  the  Secretary  of  Defense  for  all 
matters  concerning  the  management  of  intelligence 
resources,  programs  and  activities  of  NSA/CSS 
and  related  activities. 
B.  g|)    The  Director,  National  Security  Agency  (DIRNSA)/ 
Chief,  CSS  will  conduct  all  DoD  SIGINT  operations, 
including  those  required  to  support  electronic  war- 
fare (EW),  except  when  he  delegates  SIGINT 
operational  tasking  authority  over  NSA/CSS  activities 
as  provided  in  references  (a),    (b)  and  (c).    In  the 
case  of  mobile  military  SIGINT  platforms,  he  shall 
state  movement  requirements  through  appropriate 
channels  to  the  military  commanders  who  shall 
retain  responsibility  for  operational  command  of 
the  vehicles. 
C.  (U)    For  systems  and  resources  dedicated  to  other 
missions  but  having  a  SIGINT  capability,  the 
DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS,  will  provide  advisory  tasking 
which  will  be  accepted  as  long  as  it  does  not  inter- 
fere with  the  primary  purpose  of  the  resources  or 
the  mission  of  the  commands  to  which  they  are 
V  *      *      +        W         *L     * 
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S-3H5.7 
Jan  25,  73 
assigned.    All  such  tasking  will  be  channelled 
through  the  commander  to  whom  the  resources  are 
assigned.     Commanders  so  tasked  will  insure  that 
all  SIGINT  collected  is  promptly  provided  to  desig- 
nated NSA/  CSS  acti vitie  s  •  -~ 
D.  (U)    The  DIRNSA/ Chief,  CSS  will  insure  that  the  capa- 
bilities of  SIGINT  activities  designated  for  wartime 
or  contingency  deployment  are  productively  utilized 
during  peacetime  in  support  of  appropriate  SIGINT 
and  readiness  requirements. 
E.  (U)    The  DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS,  and  other  DoD  components 
will  exchange  information  concerning  techniques, 
procedures,  and  equipment  evolved  as  a  result  of 
their  respective  SIGINT  and  non-$IGINT  research, 
development,  test,  and  evaluation  (RDT&E)  programs 
when  the  information  is  believed  to  have  a  potential 
application  to  both. 
F.  (U)    Military  commanders  will  conduct  such  EW  operations, 
as  necessary,  to  provide  immediate  support  to  tacti- 
cal operations.     Electronic  warfare  support  measures 
(ESM)  resources  required  for  the  conduct  of  EV  will 
be  specifically  authorized  by  the  Secretary  of  Defense 
for  this  purpose.     SIGINT  resources  to  support  EW 
may  be  delegated  by  DIRNSA/Chief,   CSS,  as  provided 
for  in  reference  (c). 
G.  (U)    ESM  resources  collect  signals  in  the  electromagnetic 
spectrum  and  thus  are  SIGINT- related.    As  such  they 
will  be  addressed  on  a  case-by-case  basis  by  the 
SIGINT  Resources  Committee  in  consonance  with  the 
procedures  contained  in  reference  (c).    If  the  SIGINT 
Resources  Committee  finds  that  an  ESM  resource 
should  be  assigned  to  the  Central  Security  Service, 
its  finding  will  be  coordinated  with  the  military  depart- 
ment concerned  and  other  .appropriate  elements  of 
DoD  prior  to  its  submission  to  the  Assistant  Secretary 
of  Defense  (Intelligence). 
£     RESPONSIBILITIES 
A.     The  Secretaries  of  the  Military  Departments  will: 
* 
1.  (U)  Plan  and  program  for  SIGINT  resources  in  consonance 
This  page  is  Unclassified
with  fiscal  guidance  established  by  the  Secretary  of  Defense 
and  program  guidance  received  from  DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS* 
2.  (U)    Budget  for  their  respective  SIGINT  resources  in  consonance 
•with  programs  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  Defense.  ""L. 
3.  (U)    Submit  their  SIGINT  requirements  to  the  Defense  Intelligence 
Agency  (DIA),   simultaneously  providing  an  information  copy 
to  NSA/CSS.   (During  the  development  phase  of  a  requirement, 
and  subsequent  to  its  validation,  direct  coordination  between 
the  Military  Departments  and  NSA  is  encouraged,  keeping 
jDIA  informed  of  any  change  in  status  and  satisfaction  of  the 
requirement.  ) 
4.  (U)    Levy  time -sensitive  or  otherwise  urgent  SIGINT  information 
needs  directly  on  NSA/CSS,   simultaneously  inf or ming  DIA. 
5.  (U)    Provide  military  personnel  to  NSA/CSS  in  accordance  with 
approved  requirements  and  procedures,  normally  for  a  tour 
of  at  least  36  months.  (Career  program  assignments  of 
longer  duration  for  specially  qualified  personnel  may  be 
arranged  with  the  Department  concerned^ 
6.  (U)    Provide  administrative  and  logistic  support  required  by 
the  Service  Element  Commanders  of  the  CSS  and  their 
^  Service  cryptologic  organizations. 
7.  (U)    Provide  SIGINT  facilities  and  resources  for  the  conduct  and 
support  of  SIGINT  operations  as  authorized  and  directed  by 
the  Secretary  of  Defense,  including  reserve  programs  to 
meet  emergency  or  wartime  requirements  for  SIGINT 
resources. 
*  .         »      •  •  •    •  : 
8.  (U)   Assist  NSA/CSS  in  conducting  research  and  development  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  United  States  for  SIGINT  by: 
a.  Coordinating  their  SIGINT  RDT&E  requirements  with 
DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS. 
b.  Accomplishing  specified  SIGINT  RDT&E  tasks  within 
approved  programs  as  requested  by  DIRNSA/Chief, 
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S-3H5.7 
Jan  25,  73 
c.     Fully  informing  DIRNSA/ Chief,   CSS,   of  any 
proposed  ESM  RDT&E  programs  prior  to  final 
Service  program  approval. 
10.  (U)    Fulfill  logistic  support  requirements  of  the  NSA/ 
CSS  as  authorized  and  directed  by  the  Secretary 
of  Defense. 
11.  (U)    In  coordination  with  DIRNSA/ Chief,   CSS  maintain 
a  system  of  reporting  program  execution  data  to 
NSA/ CSS  to  support  SIGINT  management. 
B.      (U)    The  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff  (JCS)  will: 
1.  Review,  as  they  require,  the  SIGINT  plans  and  programs 
of  the  DIRNSA/ Chief,  CSS  for  adequacy  and  responsive- 
ness in  support  of  approved  military  plans  and  make 
recommendations  to  the  Secretary  of  Defense,  as 
appropriate. 
2.  Monitor  the  responsiveness  of  the  United  States  SIGINT 
system  to  military  requirements,  and  make  recommenda 
tions  to  the  Secretary  of  Defense. 
•        *  * 
3.  Submit  their  SIGINT  requirements  to  i)IA. 
4.  Coordinate,  direct  and  supervise  the  operations  of 
airborne  and  seaborne  military  SIGINT  platforms  in 
response  to  mission  requirements  stated  by  the  DIRNSA/ 
Chief,  CSS  and  procedures  determined  by  the  Secretary 
of  Defense. 
2/  Distributed  on  need-to-know  basis.     Copies  available  from  OASD(I).
5,      la  accordance  with  prescribed  procedures,  keep  the 
Secretary  of  Defense  advised  on  the  status  of  SIGINT 
resources*  particularly  those  resources  of  which  the 
SIGINT  operational  tasking  authority  has  been  delegated 
to  military  commanders. 
C.  ($    The  DIRNSA/Chieff   CSS  responsibilities  and  authorities  are 
defined  in  reference  (b).     He  shall  act  as  the  principal  SIGINT 
advisor  to  the  Secretary  of  Defense,  the  Director  of  Central 
Intelligence,  and  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff,     hi  exercising 
.    SIGINT  operational  control  over  the  SIGINT  resources  of  the 
United  States,  he  will  also  conduct  such  COMINT  and  ELINT 
activities  as  are  required  to  support  EW  activities.     The 
relative  roles  of  the  National  Security  Agency  and  the  Central 
Security  Service  are  delineated  in  reference  (c). 
D,  (U)    The  Director,  Defense  Intelligence  Agency  (DIA)  will: 
1.  Validate  and  assign  priorities  for  DoD  SIGINT  require- 
ments,  and  assign  them  to  NSA/CSS  for  action  in 
accordance  with  prescribed  procedures, 
2.  Review  and  evaluate  the  satisfaction  of  all  DoD  SIGINT 
requirements  levied  on  NSA/CSS, 
3.  In  collaboration  with  the  Joint  Chiefs  of  Staff,  the 
Military  Departments  and  the  Unified  and  Specified 
Commands,  evaluate  the  contribution  of  SIGINT,   in 
relation  to  all  other  intelligence  information,  in  the 
production  of  finished  intelligence  within  the  Depart- 
ment of  Defense , 
E«     JK    Commanders  of  Unified  and  Specified  Commands  will: 
*      ■  •  « 
1.      (U)    Exercise  operational  command  of  military 
airborne  and  seaborne  SIGINT  platforms  in 
accordance  with  instructions  issued  by  the  JCS 
and  in  accordance  with  mission  requirements  of 
/   .  DIRNSA/ Chief,  CSS. 
r  2,      (U)    Submit  their  SIGINT  requirements  to  DIA,  simul- 
taneously providing  an  information  copy  to  NSA/ 
CSS,  (During  the  development  phase  of  a 
/  —  T 
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S-3H5.7 
Jan  25,  73 
requirement  and  subsequent  to  its  validation, 
direct  coordination  between  the  Unified  and 
Specified  Commands  and  NSA  is  encouraged, 
keeping  DIA  informed  of  any  changes  in 
status  and  satisfaction  of  the  requirement. ) 
3.  (U)    Levy  time* sensitive  or  otherwise  urgent 
SIGINT  information  needs  directly  on  the 
NSA/CSS,   simultaneously  informing  DIA. 
4.  (U)    Submit  requests  for  delegation  of  SIGINT 
operational  tasking  authority  of  SIGINT 
resources  to  the  DIRNSA/Chief,   CSS,  in 
accordance  with  reference  (c). 
5.  (U)    Assume  temporary  operational  control 
(SIGINT  operational  tasking  authority) 
•    of  SIGINT  resources  in  accordance  with 
reference  (c)* 
F.      (U)    Non-DoD  Departments  and  Agencies: 
The  DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS,  will  arrange  as  neces- 
sary for  the  conduct  and  support  of  SIGINT  activities 
outside  the  Department  of  Defense  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  reference  (a). 
VII.  (U)    EFFECTIVE  DATE 
This  Directive  is  effective  upon  publication.     Two  copies 
of  implementing  instructions  shall  be  forwarded  to  the
Assistant  Secretary  of  Defense  (Intelligence)  within 
90  days. 
Secretary  df  Defense 
Enclosure  -  1 
1.     Definitions 
t- 
This  page  is  Unclassified
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"WHEN  WITH  ATTACHMENTS 
DEPARTMENT  OF  DEFENSE 
DIRECTIVES  SYSTEM  TRANSMITTAL 
NUMftER 
S-3115.  7  -  Ch  1 
DATt 
October  9    1973 
OtSTftlCUTION 
S-3115.  7  series 
ATTACHMENTS 
Pages  1,2.  and  3  of  enclosure  1  to  DoD  Directive  S-3115.  7,   1/25/73 
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IISTRUCTIOHS  FOR  *ECIf IEKTS 
•  * 
The  following  page  and  pen  changes  to  DoD  Directive  S-3115,  7,  "Signals  Intelligence    ' 
(SIGINT)  (U), "  dated  January  25,   1973  have  been  authorized: 
PAGE  CHANGES 
Remove:    Enclosure  1 
Insert:    Attached  replacement  pages 
Changes  appear  on  pages  1  and  2    and  are  indicated  by  marginal  asterisks. 
PEN  CHANGE 
Add  to  page  1  oi  basic  Directive  reference  "(f)    DoD  Directive  5200.  24,  "Telephone 
Interception  and  Eavesdropping/'  August  17,  1967" 
Added  portion  is  underscored. 
*  *  *     * 
EFFECTIVE  DATE 
This  change  is  effective  immediately. 
MAURICE  W.   ROCHE,  Director 
Correspondence  and  Directives 
OASD(  Comptroller) 
WHEN  WITH  ATTACHMENTS 
WHEN  PRESCRIBED  ACTION  HAS  BEEN  TAKEN.  THIS  TRANSMITTAL  SHOULD  BE  FILED  WITH  THE  BASIC  DOCUMENT 
SD.22M06-1 
fftCVIOUS   COITION*  AM  O0S0LCTC 
r^W<4U 
IJ  I  I  I      ILUPM
S-3115.7  (End  1) 
DEFINITIONS 
Applicable  to  DoD  Directive  S-3115.  7  are  the  following  definitions: 
A.  (U)    Sipnals  Intelligence  (SIGINT)  is  a  category  of  intelligence 
information  comprising  all  Communications  Intelligence 
(COMINT),  Electronics  Intelligence  (ELINT),   and 
*  Telemetry  Intelligence  (TELINT).  * 
B.  (U)    COMINT  is  technical  and  intelligence  information  derived 
*  from  foreign  communications  by  other  than  the  intended        * 
recipients.   COMINT  is  produced  by  the  collection  and 
*  processing  of  foreign  communications  passed  by  electro-      * 
magnetic  means,  with  specific  exceptions  stated  below, 
and  by  the  processing  of  foreign  encrypted  communica- 
tions; however  transmitted.     Collection  comprises  search, 
intercept,  and  direction  finding.     Processing  comprises 
range  estimation,  transmitter/operator  identification, 
signal  analysis,   traffic  analysis,  cryptanaly^is,   decryption, 
study  of  plain  \ext$  the  fusion  of  these  processes,   and  the 
reporting  of  results.     COMINT  shall  not  include: 
1.  Intercept  and  processing  of  unencrypted  written 
communications,  except  the  processing* of  written 
plain  text  versions  of  communications  which  have  been 
encrypted  or  are  intended  for  subsequent  encryption. 
2.  Intercept  and  processing  of  press,  propaganda  and 
other  public  broadcasts,  except  for  processing 
encrypted  or  "hidden  meaning'1  passages  in  such 
broadcasts*  . 
* 
3.  Oral  and  wire  interceptions  conducted  under  DoD 
Directive  5200. 24.  (Reference  f. )        i 
4«      Censorship. 
Thi«  page  is  Unclassified
S-3115.7  (End  1) 
.H 
C*  (U)    ELINT  is  technical  and  intelligence  information  derived  from 
foreign,  non-communications,  electromagnetic  radiations 
emanating  from  other  than  atomic  detonation  or  radioactive 
sources.    ELINT  is  produced  by  the  collection  (observation 
and  recording),  and  the  processing  for  subsequent  intelligence 
purposes  of  that  information. 
*D*  (U)    TEL.INT  is  technical  and  intelligence  information  ds  rived  from      * 
the  intercept,  processing,   and  analysis  of  foreign  telemetry. 
E.  (U)  'SIGINT  resources  comprise  units/activities  and  organizational 
*  elements  engaged  in  the  conduct  of  SIGINT  (COMINT,  ELINT         * 
or  TELINT)  activities. 
• 
F.  (U)    SIGINT  operational  control' is  the  authoritative  direction  of 
SIGINT  activities,  including  tasking  and  allocation  of  effort, 
and  the  authoritative  prescription  af  those  uniform  techniques 
and  standards  by  which  SIGINT  information  is  collected, 
processed  and  reported* 
G.  (U)    SIGINT  operational  tasking  is  the  authoritative  operational 
direction  of  and  direct  levying  of  SIGINT  requirements  by  a 
military  commander  on  designated  SIGINT  resources.     These 
requirements  are  directive,  irrespective  of  other  priorities 
and  conditioned  only  by  the  capability  of  those  resources  to 
produce  such  information.     Operational  tasking  includes 
authority  to  deploy  and  redeploy  all  or  part  of  the  SIGINT 
resources  for  which  operational  tasking  authority  has  been 
• 
H.  (U)    SIGINT  advisory  tasking  is  tasking  proposed  by  DIRNSA/Chief, 
CSS  for  systems  and  resources  dedicated  to  missions  other 
than  SIGINT,  but  possessing  a  SIGINT  collection  capability. 
Advisory  tasking  will  be  accepted  by  the  commanders  controlling 
such  resources  as  long  as  the  tasking  does  not  interfere  with  the 
primary  purpose  of  the  resource  or  the  mission  of  the  commands 
to  which  they  are  assigned.    When  SIGINT  advisory  tasking  is 
proposed,  DIRNSA/Chief,  CSS,  will  provide  technical  guidance, 
as  required. 
This  page  is  Unclassified 
«
S-3115.7  (End  1) 
L    (U)    Electronic  warfare  (EW)  is  military  action  involving  the  use 
of  electromagnetic  energy  to  determine,  exploit,  reduce,  or 
prevent  hostile  use  of  the  electromagnetic  spectrumand 
action  which  retains  friendly  use  of  the  electromagnetic 
spectrum.    There  are  three  divisions  within  EW* 
*  • 
1#  Electronic  warfare  support  measures  (ESM)  are  that  division 
of  EW  involving  actions  taken  to  search  for,  intercept,  locate 
and  immediately  identify  radiated  electromagnetic  energy  for 
the  purpose  of  immediate  threat  recognition.     Thus,  ESM 
provide  a  source  of  information  required  for  immediate  action 
involving  ECM,  ECCM,  avoidance,  targeting,  and  other 
tactical  employment  of  forces. 
2.  Electronic  countermeasures  (ECM)  are  that  division  of  EW 
involving  actions  taken  to  prevent  or  reduce  an  enemy's 
effective  use  of  the  electromagnetic  spectrum.    ECM  include; 
a.  Electronic  jamming  «»"  The  deliberate  radiation,   re- 
radiation,   or  reflection  of  electromagnetic  energy  with 
the  object  of  impairing  the  use  of  electronic  devices, 
equipment,  or  systems  being  used  by  an  enemy. 
b.  Electronic  deception  -  The  deliberate  radiation,   re- 
radiation,   alteration,  absorption,   or  reflection  of 
.  electromagnetic  energy  in  a  manner  intended  to  mis- 
lead an  enemy  m  the  interpretation  or  use  of  informa- 
•  tion  received  by  his  electronic  systems.     There  are 
two  categories  of  electronic  deception: 
(1)  Manipulative  -  The' alteration  or  simulation  of 
friendly,  electromagnetic  radiations  to  accomplish 
deception. 
(2)  Imitative  -  The  introduction  of  radiations  into  enemy 
channels  which  imitate  his  own  emissions. 
•  » 
3#  Electronic  counter-countermeasures  (ECCM)  are  that  division 
of  EW  involving  actions  taken  to  insure  friendly  effective  use 
of  the  electromagnetic  spectrum  despite  the  enemy1  s  U6e  of 
This  page  is  Unclassified