In the US: the group of intelligence agencies and components of the federal government.
The 2009 ODNI guide described it as 16 elements, including the CIA, DIA, NSA, NGA, NRO and the FBI National Security Branch.1
According to the current CIA glossary, the community is made up of 18 executive branch agencies and organisations that collect intelligence and conduct covert action.2
Sources
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence (USA), National Intelligence: A Consumer’s Guide, April 2009
- CIA, Spy Speak Glossary
Checked: 4 November 2026