Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
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| Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence | |
|---|---|
| Name | Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence |
| Department | Department of Defense |
| Type | civilian official |
| Reports to | Secretary of Defense |
| Seat | The Pentagon |
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence is a senior civilian official within the Department of Defense responsible for integrating and overseeing United States Intelligence Community activities supporting Secretary of Defense decisionmaking. The office interfaces with the Director of National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and combatant commands such as United States Central Command, United States European Command, and United States Indo-Pacific Command to align strategic collection, analysis, and counterintelligence priorities. The holder plays a role in policy development affecting programs under statutes including the National Security Act of 1947, the Goldwater–Nichols Act, and subsequent intelligence reform measures.
Role and Responsibilities
The Under Secretary coordinates policy for Department of Defense intelligence elements including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, and Service intelligence components such as Army Intelligence and Security Command, Naval Intelligence and Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). The office is charged with advising the Secretary of Defense on clandestine and overt collection priorities, counterintelligence policy involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and oversight of acquisition programs tied to Intelligence Community Directive implementation. It also directs integration with partners like United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand under arrangements associated with the Five Eyes relationship for signals and geospatial sharing.
History and Development
The position evolved from earlier DoD intelligence directorates created after World War II and the Cold War, influenced by events such as the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the intelligence failures preceding the September 11 attacks. Legislative milestones shaping the office include the National Defense Authorization Act reforms and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which expanded cross-agency coordination responsibilities following the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Organizational changes mirrored broader trends in the post-Cold War drawdown, the Global War on Terrorism, and the rise of cybersecurity and space operations as intelligence domains.
Organization and Office Structure
The Under Secretary leads staff offices responsible for policy, oversight, budgeting, and technical integration, coordinating with component heads at the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office. Key subordinate roles have included principal deputies and assistant secretaries overseeing counterintelligence, security, collection management, and acquisition, interacting with entities like Office of the Director of National Intelligence components, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and combatant command intelligence directors (J-2). The office maintains liaison cells with Central Intelligence Agency directorates, the Federal Bureau of Investigation counterintelligence divisions, and allied intelligence liaison stations in locations such as Riyadh, London, and Tokyo.
Appointment and Tenure
The Under Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, drawing senators from committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Tenure often aligns with presidential administrations from those of George W. Bush to Barack Obama to Donald Trump and Joe Biden, with some appointees serving in acting capacities under statutes like the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998. Confirmation hearings examine nominees’ records at organizations such as the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Council, State Department, and private-sector firms such as Booz Allen Hamilton or Northrop Grumman.
Key Functions and Authorities
Statutory authorities vest the Under Secretary with responsibilities for oversight of intelligence budgets executed through the DoD budget and classified program appropriations approved by the Congressional intelligence committees. The office manages policy for counterintelligence liaison with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and conducts security clearance adjudication policy, interacting with the Office of Personnel Management and the National Background Investigations Bureau reforms. It authorizes acquisition strategies for platforms controlled by the National Reconnaissance Office and coordinates signals and geospatial priorities with the National Security Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under guidance from the Director of National Intelligence.
Notable Officeholders and Succession
Prominent individuals who have served include career intelligence officials and political appointees drawn from backgrounds at the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Council, and academia. Officeholders have included former Deputy Secretary of Defense-level officials, senior Director of National Intelligence deputies, and professionals from private-sector contractors; their tenures have intersected with crises such as the Iraq War (2003–2011), the Afghanistan conflict (2001–2021), and major cyber incidents attributed to actors linked to Russian Federation, People's Republic of China, and non-state groups. Succession planning follows DoD directives and continuity frameworks tied to the Presidential Succession Act and Department of Defense succession orders.
Criticisms and Reforms
The office has faced scrutiny in oversight inquiries by the United States Congress, including investigations led by the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence concerning intelligence failures, cost overruns in acquisition programs such as surveillance satellites, and coordination shortfalls among the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and Central Intelligence Agency. Reforms have been pursued through legislation like successive National Defense Authorization Act provisions, internal DoD reorganizations, and executive actions driven by recommendations from commissions including the 9/11 Commission and independent panels on intelligence community reform.