(DoD) An operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of or permit plausible denial by the sponsor. A covert operation differs from a clandestine operation in that emphasis is placed on concealment of the identity of the sponsor rather than on concealment of the operation. See also clandestine operation; overt operation.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). covert operation. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/covert_operation/definitions/1961143 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "covert operation" http://smartdefine.org/covert_operation/definitions/1961143 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, covert operation, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/covert_operation/definitions/1961143>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "covert operation" 4 April 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/covert_operation/definitions/1961143> |