Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/46658
Warfighter Support in advance. If the enemy is seen marching up the road, and the number of soldiers can be counted, then appropriate countermeasures can be devised. GEOINT is a type of high-ground observation that utilizes assets positioned far above the field, granting com- manders' sight beyond human limitations. Good intelligence supports development of good strategy, which, when properly executed, leads to vic- tory. GEOINT is the foundation of good intelligence, because it facilitates sharing relevant data through a cohesive framework. Combining imagery, GIS data, and georeferenced intelligence reveals relationships and patterns not immediately visible through any single data source. GEOINT answers questions essential to mission planning, improves training through visualiza- tion of mission scenarios, and smoothes execution, because the warfighters know what to expect. Leon E. Panetta, while CIA director, acknowledged the essential contribution of NGA's GEOINT in uncover- ing the truth about Bin Laden. "Along with our partners at NGA, NSA and ODNI, we applied the full range of our capabilities, collect- ing intelligence through human and technical means and subjecting it to the most rigorous analysis by our government's leading experts on Bin Laden and his organization," adds Panetta. The full capabilities focused on the Bin Laden mis- lSatellite imagery is foundational to GEOINT, providing the base layer upon which the analysis is built. RemoteView geospatial analysis software, here displaying a view of the Osama bin Laden compound captured by a GeoEye commercial satellite, is widely used to conduct GEOINT analysis. sion may never be disclosed, but we know the com- mon geospatial technologies that intelligence analysts and military forces rely on for mission planning and execution. Satellites hundreds of miles above Earth feed periodic glimpses of a target area in different wavelengths of light. Unmanned aerial vehicles linger over an area from miles above, offering real-time sur- veillance especially useful while executing a mission. GEOINT analysts employ tools such as Overwatch's RemoteView imagery and geospatial-analysis software to manipulate images. Worth a Thousand Words An image is packed with data, but it requires a skilled analyst who can use geospatial software to unpack the data and convert them to useful intelligence by applying image enhancement, photogrammetry, multi- spectral analysis and change-detection techniques. A commander expects the intelligence analyst to provide answers that resolve mission-specific questions. In the case of a mission involving a compound, GEOINT can peer over any compound walls and contribute answers to common needs such as physical description, general environment, entry/exit routes and line-of-sight views. In more specific terms, GEOINT acquires the following: • Physical description: What's the height and thick- ness of the courtyard walls? What are the dimensions of the courtyards? How many buildings and other struc- tures are there? What are the sizes of the buildings and how many floors? What's the distance between key positions? What equipment is within the compound? • General environment: Where are the trees located? lProducts generated from the analysis of GEOINT data may include 3-D models for easy visualization. This 3-D model of the Bin Laden compound was created using the RemoteView 3D Pro extension. 16 GEO W ORLD / O CTOBER 2O11 What brush is available to mask movements? What types of plants are growing in the courtyard garden? Are there any soil disturbances that might indicate recently buried weapons caches or explosive devices?