Fraying at the edges: Elite SOF aviation unit faces critical pilot shortage

According to a manning report, the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR), also known as Night Stalkers, is facing significant manning shortages. The report, first obtained by the Army Times, concerns the final quarter of Fiscal Year 2019. It reveals the following numbers of pilot shortages: With regard to the MH-60 Black Hawk […]

SOFREP’s exclusive interview with President Assad of Syria

“There is nothing personal, I’m just a headline,” President Bashar Al-Assad said when questioned about how he feels being called a war criminal in the western media. “The bad president, the bad guy is killing the good guys. It is black and white like George Bush’s narrative. The real reason for wanting to topple this […]

Trump lifts sanctions on Turkey as he declares ‘permanent’ ceasefire with the Kurds

President Trump announced on Wednesday that he would be lifting sanctions placed on Turkey over their military offensive against U.S.-partnered Kurdish forces in Northern Syria, following the establishment of what he called a “permanent ceasefire” between the two groups. The president went on to declare that, despite receiving harsh criticism from officials on both sides […]

The US accidentally hit Hawaii with an EMP in the 1960s

On July 9, 1962, the United States launched a Thor rocket armed with a W49 thermonuclear warhead up to an altitude of around two hundred and fifty miles over the Pacific and detonated it.  It took thirteen minutes for the missile to reach its predesignated altitude before the 1.45 megaton explosion illuminated the night sky […]

Watch: Russian mercenaries take control of abandoned US camp in Syria

Videos surfaced on Twitter in the past week that appear to show Russian mercenaries contracted to the Syrian government via the paramilitary Wagner Group assuming control of an abandoned American installation in Northern Syria. American troops left the base willingly after President Trump issued an order to withdraw from the region, providing Turkey with the […]

Ending the ‘forever wars?’ US to deploy more troops to defend Saudi Arabia from Iran

The Pentagon announced plans to deploy 1,500 more troops to Saudi Arabia on Friday, including two fighter squadrons, one air expeditionary wing, two Patriot missile batteries, and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. This decision comes shortly after President Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Northern Syria, a move that has […]

Iran’s newest weapon is a perfect example of how to fight the US in the 21st century

The United States has long possessed the most powerful, technologically advanced, and well-trained military force in the world — but powerful and invulnerable are very different things. America’s broad and diverse fighting force has been at war in multiple theaters for the better part of two decades, not only wearing American troops and equipment thin, […]

Ally or enemy? US bows to Turkish pressure in Syria

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has promised that his country would cease its cooperation with the United States if no progress is made on the creation of a safe zone in Syria’s northeast. In a recent phone call with his American counterpart Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Akar reiterated the longstanding request made by Turkey that […]

Royal Marines Commandos turning SOF?

The Royal Marines Commandos might soon be joining the ranks of the United Kingdom’s Special Forces (UKSF). Although an elite unit as it is, the Commandos are currently considered a step down from Britain’s SOF. They are the country’s premier light infantry amphibious unit. In recent years, they were deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan, […]

Meet the new air support Rules of Engagement in Iraq

A series of unidentified explosions around Iraq have triggered a political reaction that might affect how American and coalition warfighters destroy the remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS). From now on, the Iraqi government and military will review the air tasking order on a daily basis to determine which air missions will be greenlighted. The […]

Breaking: Trump fires John Bolton as National Security Advisor

President Donald Trump has decided to fire John Bolton from his position as National Security Advisor. The president’s decision was announced via Twitter late Tuesday morning. “I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in […]