DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U) SIGCOM - What Is It? FROM: SIGINT Communications and the National SIGINT Committee Run Date: 01/29/2004 FROM: SIGINT Communications and the National SIGINT Committee (U) Situated in offices on L Street in downtown Washington, D.C., just a few blocks from the White House, is an Intelligence Community (IC) organization that has played a prominent role in coordinating the nation's Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) affairs for nearly 42 years. What is it? The National SIGINT Committee, or SIGCOM . (U) What does the SIGCOM do exactly? Its overall purpose is to advise and assist the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) and the Director of NSA (DIRNSA) on a wide range of SIGINT matters. One of the most notable responsibilities of the committee is to provide an independent forum for those with SIGINT equities to meet and exchange information, to discuss policy and other issues, to build consensus, and to provide well-reasoned recommendations to the DIRNSA and the DCI. The committee also: conducts independent assessments and evaluations; provides guidance on national priorities; formulates policy recommendations on foreign affairs, security, and other matters; and serves as an advocate for SIGINT in other IC venues. (U) The DCI established the SIGCOM in 1962. Recognizing the vital role of SIGINT in preserving the nation's security, the DCI selected a former DIRNSA (1956-1960), retired Lieutenant General John A. Samford (USAF), to serve as the SIGCOM's first chairman. Today, the SIGCOM is part of a Community organization that operates with NSA support under the organizational designator D4. The Chairman (currently William P. Marshall) is appointed by DIRNSA in consultation with the Assistant DCI for Collection, and reports to the DIRNSA and the DCI's senior leaders. The SIGCOM's permanent membership includes representatives from each IC organization**, including NSA (Dr. Leonard T. Reinsfelder, CRD Chief of Staff). A 15th member, the Department of Homeland Security, will be joining the SIGCOM soon. (U) The SIGCOM maintains close ties to many other IC organizations, such as the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, Community Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Management Office, Unified Cryptologic Architecture Office, to name just a few. The SIGCOM also includes a small interagency staff that supports the activities of the committee and its subcommittees. (U) The SIGCOM has three subcommittees that carry out specific responsibilities: SIGINT Requirements Validation and Evaluation Subcommittee (SIRVES): validates and prioritizes all SIGINT Information Need statements submitted by customers, evaluates the performance of the U.S. SIGINT System in addressing those needs, and collaborates with NSA in the management of the National SIGINT Requirements Process. SIGINT Overhead Reconnaissance Subcommittee (SORS): develops mission guidance for SIGINT satellite collection systems, conducts independent assessments and evaluations related to collection systems, and provides advice and support on a wide range of operational, system acquisition, policy, programmatic, and other matters. Additionally, SORS has begun to address other forms of SIGINT collection in response to direction from the DCI and DIRNSA. National Emitter Weapons & Space Subcommittee (NEWSS): provides a forum on SIGINT matters for the weapons & space intelligence community, serves as an advocate for the technical SIGINT disciplines of ELINT, Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence, and PROFORMA, conducts independent assessments and evaluations associated with weapons &

space-related SIGINT, and produces the National Weapons and Space SIGINT Priority List . (U) For further information about SIGCOM and its subcommittees, please contact: SIGCOM SIGINT Issues Manager, , NSA Alternate SIGCOM Member, SIGCOM Executive Secretary, . ; ; or **(U) The other IC members are: the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of State, Department of Energy, Department of Treasury, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)." DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108