SIGINT specialists glean information from enemy transmissions and use leading-edge technology to intercept anything from faxes, to emails and satellite communications. The very nature of the technology used means that these communications can be intercepted a long distance from the battlefield itself.

SIGINT operators need to identify key elements of intelligence from within the vast array of transmissions that take place every day. In fact, the most sophisticated equipment in the world would be useless if it did not have a sharp thinking SIGINT operator to identify the important from among the worthless. Once identified, intelligence from SIGINT sources is carefully analysed and quickly processed into a report and communicated to the operational commanders. SIGINT operators are often linguists, working quickly in real time to decode cryptic messages passed in a foreign language.