Foreign intelligence entity (FIE)

Definition

A Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) refers to any known or suspected foreign organization, group, or individual, whether private, governmental, or international, that conducts intelligence activities to acquire U.S. information, block or impair U.S. intelligence activities, or to influence U.S. policy and actions. The activities of FIE may involve espionage, covert actions, or other intelligence activities. Essentially, it is an entity that poses a potential threat to a country’s national security interests.

Key Takeaways

1. A Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) refers to any foreign organization, group, or individual, whether or not they are state-sponsored, that carries out intelligence activities to directly or indirectly acquire sensitive information.
2. FIEs are posed as threats to national security as they aim to procure critical information about a country’s defense, political strategies, technologies, and other sensitive data, often through espionage, counterintelligence, or cyber attacks.
3. The role of a country’s defense services and security agencies is crucial in protecting against FIEs. This includes implementing strong counterintelligence tactics, safeguarding sensitive information, and maintaining vigilant surveillance over potential FIE activities.

Importance

The term Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) is significantly important in military operations because it refers to any foreign organization, group, or individual, whether amateur or professional, state-sponsored or not, that attempts to gather intelligence and information about a country’s national security strategies, military capabilities, governmental operations or any other sensitive information.

Recognizing and understanding an FIE is crucial as it aids in the identification, deterrence, and protection against foreign intelligence activities.

It helps in formulating counterintelligence strategies, safeguarding classified information, and protecting national security interests, thereby acting as a bulwark against potential threats to a country’s sovereignty and security.

Explanation

A Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) is a fundamental term used in military operations and field intelligence to denote all known and unknown foreign organizations outside the local jurisdiction aiming to gather, analyze and apply intelligence against their adversaries. The main purpose of an FIE is to collect confidential and highly sensitive information which could be beneficial for their home countries.

This information could range from state secrets, military strategies, technological innovations, to general socio-political developments. Securing essential information from adversaries often involves preemptively foiling their plans, disruptive operations, or stealing pivotal technologies.

In essence, an FIE acts as an information warfare tool and part of the larger defense mechanism of a state. The intelligence gathered by an FIE is used to anticipate potential threats, safeguard national security, and protect the country’s political, economic and strategic interests.

Moreover, FIEs may also employ various counterintelligence measures to prevent other entities from obtaining their country’s sensitive information. Thus, the existence of FIEs contributes significantly to the dynamic field of global intelligence and its closely tied components of diplomacy and statecraft.

Examples of Foreign intelligence entity (FIE)

Russian Intelligence Agencies: Often recognized as FIEs by Western militaries, Russian intelligence agencies such as the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the foreign intelligence agency (SVR) are examples. The entities aim to gather information on foreign territories that may impact Russia’s national security and foreign policy.

Chinese Ministry of State Security: The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) collects foreign intelligence from around the world to support the Chinese Communist Party’s objectives. The MSS is known to engage in spying against foreign governments and corporations to gather intelligence.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC): They operate an intelligence organization separate from the country’s national intelligence agency. The IRGC’s intelligence organization is focused on protecting the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary ideals and engages in foreign intelligence collection activities.

FAQs about Foreign Intelligence Entity(FIE)

What is a Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE)?

A Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) refers to any known or suspected foreign organization, person, or group (public, private, or governmental) that conducts intelligence activities to acquire US information, block or impair US intelligence activities, affect US policy, or manipulate US systems and resources.

What is the role of Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) in a military operation?

In military operations, a FIE may conduct espionage to collect sensitive information that can affect military strategy. Awareness of potential FIE involvement is crucial to safeguard sensitive information and maintain operational security.

How does the US government protect against Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE)?

The US government has a dedicated security program aimed at deterring, detecting, and neutralizing the efforts of FIEs. This involves stringent security measures, counterintelligence activities, personnel security procedures, and continuous training and awareness programs.

What type of information does a Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE) seek?

A FIE may seek a wide range of information. This could include classified military information, details about critical infrastructure, sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information, and privileged commercial or economic information.

How can individuals guard against Foreign Intelligence Entity (FIE)?

Individuals can play a crucial role in protecting against FIEs by incorporating good security habits, reporting suspicious activities, and following guidelines on information sharing. Regular training can also increase awareness and understanding of the tactics used by FIEs.

Related Military Operation Terms

• Counterintelligence
• National security
• Espionage
• Classified Information
• Intelligence Operations

Sources for More Information

• CIA (Central Intelligence Agency): This is an official website of an agency that is directly involved in foreign intelligence.
• ODNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence): The ODNI site offers useful insights as it is responsible for overseeing the Intelligence Community of the US and advising the President.
• FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation): The FBI’s mission contains both intelligence and law enforcement responsibilities, thus bringing valuable insights into foreign intelligence entities.
• NSA (National Security Agency): The National Security Agency focuses on signals intelligence and information assurance, offering valuable resources and knowledge of foreign intelligence entities.