It should be noted that COMINT is commonly referred to as SIGINT, which can cause confusion when talking about the broader intelligence disciplines. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff defines it as "[t]echnical information and intelligence derived from foreign communications by other than the intended recipients."[6]
COMINT, which is defined to be communications among people, will reveal some or all of the following:
Who is transmitting and or where they are located. If the transmitter is moving, the report may give a plot of the signal against location.
If known, the organizational function of the transmitter.
The addresses, if the signal is not a general broadcast and if addresses are retrievable from the message. These stations may also be COMINT (e.g., a confirmation of the message or a response message), ELINT (e.g., a navigation beacon being activated) or both. Rather than, or in addition to, an address or other identifier, there may be information on the location and signal characteristics of the responder.
References[]
↑NATO Standardization Agency, NATO Glossary of Terms and Definitions 2-C-11 (2008) (full-text).
↑U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Pub. 1–02: DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (Nov. 8, 2010, as amended through May 15, 2011) (full-text).
↑U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Pub. 1–02: DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (Nov. 8, 2010, as amended through May 15, 2011) (full-text).