Abstract The deepening of security intelligence research has revealed that great deficiencies still exist in how to conduct intelligence interventions and solve intelligence problems with theoretical research methods. This paper proposes the concept of an intelligence support path and examines national security intelligence in terms of the support path and its realization. To provide guidance for specific implenetation, it further deepens security intelligence research from the theoretical and conceptual levels to the operational. From both theoretical and practical perspectives, security intelligence research describes a sequence of activities and interaction between personnel throughout the the overall lifecycle of intelligence work. The intelligence support path theory is presented as a spiral model of intelligence growth along with intelligence technology support tools. The following core components of the national security intelligence support path are identified: a target-centric approach, intelligence staff, intelligence activities and products, security intelligence support theory, methods, technology, and workflows. Finally, the intelligence support path is described based on the example of the Thomason smuggling case. Future research on the intelligence support path will focus on developing a guide for practical work.
