What is the primary function of counterintelligence?

The primary function of counterintelligence is to protect against espionage and intelligence operations by adversaries. This involves a range of activities aimed at safeguarding sensitive information and capabilities from being exploited or compromised by enemy entities. Counterintelligence efforts are crucial in identifying and mitigating threats that could undermine operational security, disrupt military effectiveness, or lead to the unauthorized disclosure of classified information. By effectively conducting counterintelligence operations, military and intelligence organizations can prevent adversaries from gaining insights into their plans or activities, ensuring that they maintain a strategic advantage.

The other options, while important aspects of intelligence and military operations, do not capture the essence of counterintelligence's primary role. Enhancing the effectiveness of friendly intelligence operations is certainly a goal of intelligence work overall, but it does not define counterintelligence. Similarly, gathering intelligence on enemy movements pertains more to reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions rather than counterintelligence. Lastly, conducting psychological operations focuses on influencing perceptions and behaviors rather than protecting against adversarial intelligence threats, which is the core function of counterintelligence.