Pentagon Discloses Fiscal 2012 Intelligence Expenditures

The Defense Department spent $21.5 billion on its unclassified and classified intelligence activities in Fiscal 2012, announced Pentagon officials on Oct. 30. That appropriated amount, which funded the military intelligence program, or MIP, included money in DOD’s base budget and in its accounts for overseas contingency operations, they said. That topline figure was down $2.5 billion from the previous fiscal year, when DOD spent $24 billion on its intelligence activities. In Fiscal 2010, the outlays totaled $27 billion. Pentagon officials determined that releasing the Fiscal 2012 topline figure “does not jeopardize any classified activities.” However, they said they would not release any additional MIP details since “they remain classified for national security reasons.” The MIP comprises the projects and activities that support the Defense Secretary’s intelligence, counterintelligence, and related responsibilities.