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(U//FOUO) Green Dragon and the Advanced Analytic Lab -- What's
the Difference?
FROM: Cindy Farkus
Assistant Deputy Director for Analysis & Production (S2)
Run Date: 01/24/2006
(U//FOUO) Recently some have heard about the GREEN DRAGON program and wondered,
"What's the difference between GREEN DRAGON and the Advanced Analytic Lab (AAL)
organization?" Although both are managed by A&P, they are not one and the same! With the
help of A&P's leading authority on the subject, Curt Boylls, I'll do my best to clarify what each is
(and is not):
(S//SI) First, GREEN DRAGON (GD) is not an organization, but rather a DIRNSA-driven
program managed by A&P. Its aim is to create "germination centers" that bring mature or postprototype analytic tools and technologies - not used at NSA up till now - and test them in realworld operations. GD is rapidly acquiring COTS/GOTS* tools and integrating them into test
workstations to see whether these technologies can complement the tools we already use, to
improve our effectiveness against real target problems. GREEN DRAGON sponsors neither
technology nor tradecraft research, and operates on 90-day cycles.
(S//SI) The Advanced Analytic Lab (AAL), on the other hand, is an organization under A&P
(S22) that exists to develop advanced SIGINT methodologies and techniques and drive them into
operations. It does this by:
1. Creating and fostering advanced tradecraft;
2. Guiding and advancing research in ways useful to SIGINT analysis; and
3. Providing A&P liaison with the SID/RAD (Research Directorate) Bridge.
The AAL is all about research , whether waging analytic attacks against hard SIGINT problems,
or by identifying the technical capabilities that SID needs and arranging for research to be
carried out to find workable solutions.
(S//SI) As a program, GREEN DRAGON is dependent upon help from many existing
organizations across NSA, including AAL. Presently, the AAL provides assistance to GD in terms
of analytic technologies and new analytic tradecraft, but by no means is AAL a sole-supplier for
GREEN DRAGON, nor does GD concern itself with AAL's research agenda. Both activities are
overseen by A&P, however.
(U//FOUO) These are exciting times for the SIGINT analysis profession. Unique opportunities
exist for our analysts to participate personally in developing tools and other transformation
activities that will retain NSA's status as the superlative intelligence producer for years to come.
*(U) Note:
COTS/GOTS = Commercial Off-the-Shelf/Government Off-the-Shelf
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108