You have to create a probe team and move it to within contact of an enemy (or even friendly base) and then you'll get the list of covert ops. You need to perform infiltration on 3 factions, any tech they now all have that you do not you instantly gain knowledge of.
Infiltration - You can see what each base is producing, the lab and energy output of the faction as a whole aswell as seeing what techs the faction has and what its researching. Really useful.
ps, arci i wouldn't try and probe me in the game we're playing as my defenses are almost done and i won't be too pleased to see probes coming anywhere near me