Office of Naval Intelligence
National Maritime Intelligence Center, Suitland, Maryland | |
Employees | c. 3,000 (civilian and military) |
---|---|
Annual budget | Classified |
Agency executives |
|
Parent agency | United States Navy |
Website | oni.navy.mil |
The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) is the military intelligence agency of the United States Navy. Established in 1882 primarily to advance the Navy's modernization efforts,[4] it is the oldest member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and serves as the nation's premier source of maritime intelligence.[5]
Since the
History
Despite playing an active and decisive role in the
In an era of
An "Office of Intelligence" is hereby established in the Bureau of Navigation for the purpose of collecting and recording such naval information as may be useful to the Department in time of war, as well as in peace.
To facilitate this work, the Department Library will be combined with the "Office of Intelligence," and placed under the direction of the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation.
Commanding and all other officers are directed to avail themselves of all opportunities which may arise to collect and to forward to the "Office of Intelligence" professional matters likely to serve the object in view.[7]
The new Office of Naval Intelligence would be headquartered in the State, War and Navy Building (now the
Expansion
Mason was succeeded as Chief Intelligence Officer by Lieutenant
In 1890, one year after Rodgers' departure from ONI, the office was transferred from the
ONI grew in prominence under President
American entry into the
During the 1920s and 1930s, many of ONI's activities were dedicated to
In the run up to Pearl Harbor, ONI was beset with challenges including disagreements with the
World War II
Following Japan's
The
Cold War
While other parts of the Navy were downsized after the war, U.S. Fleet Admiral
ONI also made a concerted effort to enhance its technical and scientific resources, diversifying its personnel to reflect a wider range of expertise. The Navy Scientific and Technical Intelligence Center (NAVSTIC) was established in 1968 and shortly thereafter was folded into the Navy Reconnaissance and Technical Support Center (NRTSC). In response to the threat posed by nuclear-armed Soviet submarines, ONI developed the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS) and the Ocean Surveillance Information system (OSIS), allowing the U.S. Navy to monitor and deter these threats.
Consolidation and transformation
Beginning in 1988, and following the
Since the start of the
The same year, the Information Dominance Corps (IDC) was established by the Navy to train enlisted sailors and officers in a wide range of supporting intelligence capabilities. The IDC was redesignated in 2016 as the Information Warfare Community (IWC), with a greater emphasis on inter-disciplinary expertise in sustaining the U.S. Navy's operational and technological superiority. ONI provides the IWC with critical maritime intelligence and real-time global maritime surveillance.
The 21st century has also seen an extension of ONI's support beyond the Navy and U.S. government and towards relevant academic and commercial partners. In addition to operations related to the War on Terror, contemporary challenges that rely upon maritime intelligence include anti-piracy efforts, surveillance of potential maritime conflict zones (such as the territorial disputes in the South China Sea), and monitoring the activities and developments in emerging rival navies (such as those of China, Russia, and Iran).[15]
Organization and personnel
According to its official website, ONI's organizational structure is specifically designed to "strengthen the Navy's conventional and irregular war fighting capacities, and to expand our foresight into new technologies, future platforms, weapons, sensors, C4ISR and cyber capabilities".[16]
ONI is based in the National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC), located on the grounds of the Suitland Federal Center in Suitland, Maryland. It is collocated with its five specialized subcommands, known as "Centers of Excellence" – the Nimitz Operational Intelligence Center, Farragut Technical Analysis Center, Kennedy Irregular Warfare Center, the Hopper Information Services Center, and the Brooks Center for Maritime Engagement. Since 2009, the facility has been designed to facilitate 24-hour-a-day coordination, collaboration, and analysis of maritime intelligence among ONI's subcommands, as well as its counterparts in the Marine Corps and Coast Guard. This integration is intended to offer both comprehensive and rapid intelligence to a broad range of stakeholders.
ONI is led by a commander, formally known as the Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence (COMONI), who also serves as Director of the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIIO), the national intelligence community center for maritime issues under ODNI. The COMONI's functions including fulfilling the national maritime intelligence duties required by the Navy, Department of Defense (DoD), and wider intelligence community.
There is also a Deputy Commander, who serves as the Commander’s primary assistant and adviser; a Chief Staff Officer, who directs the activities of staff directors and officers, and serves as the point of contact for other commands; and the Command Master Chief, who leads the enlisted personnel and advises the COMONI, Deputy Commander, and Chief of Staff on command policy.
ONI employs over 3,000 military and civilian personnel worldwide, including contractors. Its staff includes intelligence analysts, scientists, engineers, and other qualified specialists. In addition to its permanent staff, ONI is supported by more than 800 Navy Reservists, who assist the office during weekend drills and active duty.
Nimitz Operational Intelligence Center
Named after World War II Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the Nimitz Operational Intelligence Center has responsibility for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Global Maritime Intelligence Integration (GMII), which allows it to maintain the U.S. Navy's warfighting superiority by delivering precise and timely information on the capability and position of naval and other maritime assets of interest.
Farragut Technical Analysis Center
Named for Admiral David Farragut, the Farragut Technical Analysis Center is the U.S. Navy's Center of Excellence for strategic scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI) analysis of foreign technologies, sensors, weapons, platforms, combat systems, C4ISR, and cyber capabilities. In addition to its all-source capabilities, the Farragut Center conducts ONI's foreign materiel exploitation, signal intelligence analysis, modeling and simulation, and is home to the National Maritime Acoustic Intelligence Laboratory.
Kennedy Irregular Warfare Center
Named for President John F. Kennedy, the Kennedy Center provides support to Navy Special Warfare and Navy Expeditionary Combat Command forces by providing intelligence on potential threats posed by
Hopper Information Services Center
Named for Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, the Hopper Center provides information services that support global maritime and intelligence operations. Its staff consists of more than 850 information technology specialists based in 42 locations in 11 countries. The center also assists in the integration, testing, fielding, and maintenance of advanced technologies utilized by ONI and its centers.[17]
Brooks Center for Maritime Engagement
Named for Rear Admiral Thomas A. Brooks, a former Director of Naval Intelligence, the Brooks Center was established on 13 July 2016.[citation needed]
See also
- Director of Naval Intelligence
- Military Intelligence Corps- Army Intelligence
- Sixteenth Air Force - Air Force Intelligence
- Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI)- Coast Guard Intelligence
- Intelligence Directorate of the Main Staff of the Russian Navy - Russian equivalent
Notes
- ^ Redesignated in 1911 as "Director of Naval Intelligence", and currently "Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence".
References
- ^ U.S. Navy Public Web Page, Naval Intelligence Training Gives Navy, Marine Corps Team Edge
- ^ "Biographies". Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- ^ "Deputy Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence" (PDF). United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Public Affairs. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ a b "Proud History". Office of Naval Intelligence. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-8018-8772-7.
- New York Times. 2001. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
- ^ General Order No. 292. History.navy.mil (2012-08-22). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ISBN 978-0-275-95898-5.
- Naval History & Heritage Command. Archived from the originalon 27 July 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ a b Niiya, Brian. "Office of Naval Intelligence". Densho Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
- ^ Kirk, Alan. "Oral history interview with Alan G. Kirk 1961". Columbia University Oral Histories. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Niiya, Brian. "Kenneth Ringle". Densho Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
- ^ "1935-1945: Counterintelligence and Criminal Investigations". NCIS History. NCIS. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ Ackerman, Robert (26 January 2009). "Naval Intelligence Ramps up Activities". Afcea International. SIGNAL. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "The PLA Navy: The PLA Navy New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century". Office of Naval Intelligence. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ^ "Who We Are". Office of Naval Intelligence. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
- ^ "Office of Naval Intelligence". Archived from the original on 23 October 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
- Packard, Wyman H. (1996). Century of U.S. Naval Intelligence. Naval Historical Center. ISBN 0-945274-25-4.
- Portions of this article are based on public domain text from Office of Naval Intelligence.
- Portions of this article are based on public domain text from Digital National Security Archive.
External links
- Office of Naval Intelligence
- FOIA files on the ONI, hosted at the Internet Archive: