Understanding the Intelligence Cycle

S2Company

A good read on understanding the Intelligence building cycle. The questions you need to ask yourself as you read this are:

1) How can an enemy use this process against me?

2) How can I use this process against an enemy?

3) How would I need to modify the process to make it a useful tool in my unit's current configuration?

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 "The enemy has a reserve which can be used to counterattack into either Objective BOB or Objective JOHN.   The initial CCIR was "Where will the enemy counterattack with his reserve?".    During your IPB you might identify the details about that reserve (it's the 1-23 Tank Battalion, etc), but you won't know WHERE it will attack until it actually starts to move.  During the wargame the staff realizes that the effect of this enemy action is significant enough that it will require the commander to make a decision on the use of attack helicopters.   This  becomes a Decision Point, and the CCIR is transformed into the more specific PIR: "Will the 1-23 Tank Battalion counterattack into Objective BOB or JOHN (between 0830 and 1330 hours)?"  Note that in order to qualify as a PIR you need three items: 1) A Single Question concerning an enemy status;  2) A link to a Decision Point (High Payoff Targets are just specialized Decision Points);  3) A specific time interval that the Question is related to the Decision."

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Unknowns
Beget
CCIR
To focus
IPB
Which drives
Wargaming
Which produces
DPs and HPTs
Each requiring
PIR
Which become essential tasks for
Collectors and Analysts

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Glossary

CCIR= Commander's Critical Information Requirements
CUB= Common Understanding of the Battlefield
PIR= Priority Intelligence Requirements
FFIR= Friendly Force Information Requirements
EEFI= Essential Elements of Friendly Information
HPT= High Payoff Target
HVT= High Value Target
IPB= Intelligence Prep of the Battlefield
DP= Decision Point
IR= Intelligence Requirements
BDA= Battle Damage Assessment


 (H/T Neil Garra & S2Company)