Define surveillance!

[Jackonicko]

I think I know what surveillance is, but I'd welcome any neat definition, thoughts, and ideas.

What roles does it encompass?

What do you understand by the term?

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Watchin' bad guys..............with a view to wasting them:E ........possibly

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[BigginAgain]

My personal view in the Air Battle Management context:

Surveillance comprises all activities necessary to achieve and maintain a Recognised Air Picture (RAP).

Amend to fit Joint Operational Picture, Surface and RAP, or whatever takes your fancy.

BA

[SASless]

Jacko....

It can include up to and including knowing everything about you and your activities to just shy of actually knowing what you are thinking. That is about the only communication that cannot be intercepted. Given the resources and funding....very little can be missed. That is speaking for a small sized target...such as an individual or very small geograhpic area.

Just how secure do you think your computer is....or that telephone setting on your table....or lasers picking up your conversation from vibs off the window pane.

[16 blades]

Given the resources and funding

...what resources and funding? Int activities have been grossly underfunded for almost 2 decades now, both sides of the atlantic.

You describe what we are CAPABLE of doing, not what we are ABLE and funded / resourced to do.

16B

[SmilingKnifed]

If I recall from the Int Course, surveillance differs from observation in that it is focused on a defined geographical area or element (target) as opposed to the more general approach of the former.

[Charlie Luncher]

I know where you live

I'm watching you but "you aint seen me right":ok:

Charlie sends:E

[Pilgrim101]

Well Jacko,

In these evolving times, it means watching all the bad guys all the time ie ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance) tasking which can be manned by a multitude of people and equipment (Watchkeeper UAV, covert street stuff, microphones in Hook prosthetics, that kind of thing).

Peeks at the Mil Forum on Pprune also qualify, or so I am led to believe :} :E

[Jackonicko]

Great stuff, very thought provoking, so very many thanks to all (and especially to Biggin and Smiler).

So surveillance is the broad activity of 'keeping tabs on the enemy' in an overview kind of way, and as such encompasses intelligence gathering, observation (which is focused on a specific defined geographical area or element), targeting and reconnaissance.

So what is intelligence gathering? What is reconnaissance?

I need a set of definitions that define and differentiate.

[left one o clock]

Jacko, Intelligence is data with 'value added'. By which I mean; Knowing that the enemy are flying in an area does not, strictly speaking, constitute intelligence. Any inferences that can be drawn from that activity DO constitute intelligence. Apparently, that is why we have Intelligence Officers, to add value to gathered data.

P.S
I am NOT an Into.

L1OC

[SpotterFC]

Surveillance:

The systematic observation of aerospace, surface or subsurface areas, places, persons or things, by visual, aural, electronic, photographic or other means

AAP-6(V) Nato Glossary of Terms and Definitions

(Location turned up by Google no longer reachable (website under maintenance) but definition is available here (http://www.nato.int/docu/glossary/eng/15-main.pdf)

Definitions for all the other bits are also contained here.

[Stalin [Man of Steel]]

Jacko,
Dredging up that stuff I learnt from OS lectures, I think that surveillance is general, routine observation of a large area. Reconnaissance is more specific, targeted information gathering. To use a naff photography analogy, surveillance is a wide angle lens, reconnaissance is a telephoto zoom lens. 'Intelligence gathering' is a far more general term for what agencies such as JARIC or SIS do. They use sources to provide information. Information is classed as 'raw material', it has to be processed and given some type of predictive value by analysts, when it then becomes intelligence as opposed to information. Intelligence can be roughly divided into 4 categories: Imagery Intelligence (IMINT-looking at pictures), Human Intelligence (HUMINT-agent handlers meeting agents), Signals Intelligence (SIGINT listening and decoding communications and emissions) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT-Jane's the internet and 'papers). Hope the above didn't get too patronising/geeky, feel free to email any more specific qeuries.

[airborne_artist]

Recce is generally the direct visual examination of a target or area, by aircraft, vessels, vehicles or those on foot to gather information relevant to an intended or planned offensive action on a target or within that area. Can include assessment of data gathered during recce trips including photography, ESM etc.

[left one o clock]

Spotter FC,
Get back to your project, you don't have time to be looking at PPRUNE!

L1OC

[SpotterFC]

My project? I wish.....

1. Small Children
2. ISE on Thursday - and no stealing my quote/reference above for your syndicate!!!

Enjoy your weekend!

Spotter