Signals intelligence operational platforms by nation

:This article is a subset article under the main article Signals intelligence, which addresses the unifying conceptual and technical factors and common technologies in this intelligence discipline. This article deals with current signals intelligence collection equipment by nation, including fixed and mobile ground stations, ships, submarines, aircraft and satellites. See Signals intelligence by alliances, nations and industries for the organization of SIGINT activities, and for context, see Signals intelligence in modern history. For a complete hierarchical list of articles, see the intelligence cycle management hierarchy.

Signals intelligence Operational Platforms are employed by nations to collect signals intelligence, which is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people (i.e., COMINT or communications intelligence) or between machines (i.e., ELINT or electronic intelligence), or mixtures of the two. As sensitive information is often encrypted, signals intelligence often involves the use of cryptanalysis. However, traffic analysis—the study of who is signalling whom and in what quantity—can often produce valuable information, even when the messages themselves cannot be decrypted.

Ground Platforms

It can be difficult to draw the line between a ground-based SIGINT receiving station, and facilities that have control, coordination, and processing functions in the "bigger picture" of signals intelligence. Many...
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