FM 34-43: Multiservice Procedures for Requesting Reconnaissance Information in a Joint Environment

Chapter II

RECONNAISSANCE PRODUCTS

1. Background

The four categories of reconnaissance--visual, imagery, electronic, and weather--generate a range of products. The intelligence cycle described in Chapter I provides these products to the requester to help satisfy intelligence requirements and ultimately accomplish the mission.

2. Reconnaissance Products

There are four basic types of reconnaissance products: verbal, textual, visual, and on-line. Although the number of categories matches the number of products, one category does not always produce one or the same product. Instead, two or more kinds of products can be derived from missions in each of the reconnaissance categories. Table II-1 depicts, in general terms, the relationship between processes and products.

3. Reports: Uses, Advantages, and Limitations

Reports are verbal or written explanations of reconnaissance information. They are generally prepared by reconnaissance aircrews or by photo interpreters who glean information from reconnaissance imagery. Each of the various reconnaissance reports possesses unique characteristics of timeliness and precision. The reconnaissance requester must be familiar with these characteristics to tailor requests to actual information needs. Joint Pub 6-04, USMTF Program, prescribes these report formats. See Joint Pub 6-04 for a full description of each one.

a. In-flight Report (INFLTREP). Aircrews and UAV operators use the INFLTREP (Figure II-1) to report mission results or any other tactical information sighted of such importance and urgency that the delay (if reported by normal debriefing) would negate the usefulness of the information. The INFLTREP is a voice-only message.

b. Reconnaissance Exploitation Report (RECCEXREP). The RECCEXREP (Figure II-2) provides an abbreviated imagery interpretation report for tactical reporting. The RECCEXREP is normally transmitted within 45 minutes of recovery of the reconnaissance platform but may take several hours depending on the sensor, film type, processing, and quality of image sensor reading.

c. Mission Report (MISREP). The MISREP (Figure II-3) reports mission results and items of intelligence interest in all tactical roles.

d. Imagery Interpretation Report (IIR). The IIR (Figure II-4) is a single message format for sending either the Initial Phase Interpretation Report (IPIR) or the Supplemental Photographic Interpretation Report (SUPIR). The IPIR provides the results of first-phase exploitation of imagery. This report is normally transmitted within 24 hours of recovery of the reconnaissance platform. The SUPIR provides results of second-phase exploitation of imagery. The SUPIR may take hours or days to complete based on the detail of the requested information.

e. Response to Request for Information (RRI). The RRI (Figure II-5) is the message format used to reply to requests for information. It is also used to advise requesters that a previously transmitted message contains the information they seek. In such cases, the RRI should reference that message.

f. Tactical Reports. Tactical reports are those of immediate interest to commanders and operators of tactical units at all levels. The intent of tactical reports is to get perishable information to units in time for it to be acted upon. The reports should be very concise. Tactical reports include the Tactical Report (TACREP), the Tactical ELINT Report (TACELINT), and the Operations Report (OPREP-3).

(1) Tactical Report (TACREP). The TACREP (Figure II-6) provides the most urgent, perishable information of tactical significance to commanders of tactical units. It alerts them to immediate threats to their forces and provides enhanced situational awareness. Though the report can be either a free-flow voice report or a hard copy computer-formatted message, it should be sent via message precedence commensurate with its content. Examples of the voice format and the hard copy report are in Joint Pub 6-04.

(2) Tactical ELINT (TACELINT) Report. The TACELINT (Figure II-7) reports time-critical operational ELINT and parametric information and may be used for indications and warning, database maintenance, orders of battle, and strike planning.

(3) Operations Report (OPREP). The OPREP-3 is used by any unit to provide the joint force commander (JFC) and other appropriate commanders with immediate notification of an incident or event where national interest is not indicated or has not been determined.

4. On-line Products

a. Tactical Information Broadcast Service (TIBS). TIBS is a satellite broadcast of intelligence and combat information. It is used during contingency and exercise operations and to provides near-real-time data on hostile force disposition, threat array, and friendly elements. This transportable system can be placed with battle managers or other command and control (C2) nodes. TIBS links intelligence producers with consumers and allows selected users to query collectors for data during operations. Data is filtered by software and displayed either graphically or as text.

b. Special Information System/Voice Product Net (SIS/VPN). SIS/VPN is a secure ultra high frequency (UHF) KY-58 voice link between intelligence producer and consumers. It is used to pass TACREPs and situational awareness information based on pre-mission tasking or on-scene dynamic tasking. Figure II-8 illustrates a notional system including online systems and products.