--- category: U.S. Government created: 2025-07-22 location: Washington, D.C. start: 1961-10-01 summary: The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is a major intelligence agency of the United States, specializing in defense and military intelligence. tags: - Organization - Intelligence - Government - USA - Defense - Military - DarkAllianceInvestigation title: Defense Intelligence Agency updated: 2025-07-22 --- The [Defense Intelligence Agency](/organizations/defense-intelligence-agency/) (DIA) is a major intelligence agency of the United States, specializing in defense and military intelligence. The DIA played a significant role in the oversight and funding of the [STARGATE PROJECT](/programs/stargate-project/), particularly after the Army's initial involvement.[^1] In March 1979, when [Jimmy Carter](/people/jimmy-carter/) decided to provide [Israel](/places/israel/) with KH-11 satellite photographs, the images were picked up by Israeli military attachés at a special Pentagon office controlled by the DIA. Following the Israeli bombing of [Osirak bombing](/events/osirak-bombing/) in June 1981, a review found that [Israel](/places/israel/) had significantly expanded the agreement, leading to anger within the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) and DIA over the "very lax" management of the liaison agreement.[^2] ### Involvement in Psi Research The DIA's interest in psi research was driven by concerns over perceived Soviet advancements. A 1972 DIA report, *Controlled Offensive Behavior - USSR*, highlighted the potential threat of Soviet psi capabilities.[^1] [Jack Vorona](/people/jack-vorona/), head of the DIA's Scientific and Technical Intelligence Directorate, was the overall manager of the Grill Flame program. The DIA continued to oversee the program even after the Army's funding was initially terminated in 1985.[^1] ### Dark Alliance Investigation Historian [Roger Morris](/people/roger-morris/) wrote that [Barry Seal](/people/barry-seal/) worked for the DIA "where coded records reportedly showed him on the payroll beginning in 1982." Arms manufacturer [Tim LaFrance](/people/tim-lafrance/) told journalist [Nick Schou](/people/nick-schou/) that the DIA was involved in [Ronald Lister](/people/ronald-lister/)'s weapons manufacturing plant in [El Salvador](/places/el-salvador/), and that meetings Lister had with death squad commander [Roberto D'Aubuisson](/people/roberto-daubuisson/) "happened because the DIA wanted them to happen." Records found in Lister's house in the 1986 raid disclosed connections between Lister and "a DIA subcontractor."[^3] ### Role in Modern UAP Investigation The DIA was the original home of the [Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program](/programs/advanced-aerospace-threat-identification-program/) (AAWSAP), the precursor to the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). The program was led by [James Lacatski](/people/james-lacatski/) and initially enjoyed the support of DIA leadership. According to [Luis Elizondo](/people/luis-elizondo/), new leadership was hostile to the investigation of paranormal aspects of the UAP phenomenon.[^4] The DIA is also central to the events described in the [Wilson-Davis Memo](/sources/wilson-davis-memo/), in which Admiral Thomas R. Wilson, then Director of the DIA, described his discovery of and subsequent denial of access to a secret UAP reverse-engineering program.[^4] [^1]: Schnabel, Jim. *Remote Viewers*. Dell, 1997. [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. [^3]: Webb, Gary. *Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion.* Seven Stories Press, 1998. Chapter 6: "They were doing their patriotic duty" [^4]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024.