S2Company A good read on understanding the Intelligence building cycle. The questions you need to ask yourself as you read this are: 1) How can an enemy use this process against me? 2) How can I use this process against an enemy? 3) How would I need to modify the process to make it a useful tool in my unit's current configuration? **** "The enemy has a reserve which can be used to counterattack into either Objective BOB or Objective JOHN. The initial CCIR was "Where will the enemy counterattack with his reserve?". During your IPB you might identify the details about that reserve (it's the 1-23 Tank Battalion, etc), but you won't know WHERE it will attack until it actually starts to move. During the wargame the staff realizes that the effect of this enemy action is significant enough that it will require the commander to make a decision on the use of attack helicopters. This becomes a Decision Point, and the CCIR is transformed into the more specific PIR: "Will the 1-23 Tank Battalion counterattack into Objective BOB or JOHN (between 0830 and 1330 hours)?" Note that in order to qualify as a PIR you need three items: 1) A Single Question concerning an enemy status; 2) A link to a Decision Point (High Payoff Targets are just specialized Decision Points); 3) A specific time interval that the Question is related to the Decision." **** Unknowns Beget CCIR To focus IPB Which drives Wargaming Which produces DPs and HPTs Each requiring PIR Which become essential tasks for Collectors and Analysts **** Glossary CCIR= Commander's Critical Information Requirements CUB= Common Understanding of the Battlefield PIR= Priority Intelligence Requirements FFIR= Friendly Force Information Requirements EEFI= Essential Elements of Friendly Information HPT= High Payoff Target HVT= High Value Target IPB= Intelligence Prep of the Battlefield DP= Decision Point IR= Intelligence Requirements BDA= Battle Damage Assessment (H/T Neil Garra & S2Company) Continue reading...