Goodbye, Little Bird: Special Operations Command to replace legendary helicopter

According to the U.S. Special Operation Command’s (USSOCOM) acquisition executive, James Smith, the unit’s Little Bird helicopters might be experiencing their final years as America’s light special operations helicopters. Smith made the statement during the NDIA Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict Symposium, which took place last February. He indicated that the most likely replacement for the venerable […]

US Special Operations Command reveals new helmet for operators

American commandos will soon be going into combat protected by a new, high-tech helmet. According to a statement by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Gentex Corporation has been awarded a contract worth $95 million to supply SOCOM with its Ops-Core FAST SF Super High Cut Helmet. Gentex manufactures a number of different models of […]

Meet Special Reconnaissance, a new career field in Air Force Special Operations

In a major development, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) changed the Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT) career field to Special Reconnaissance (SR). The Air Force has debated the future of its battlefield airmen for some time. SOWTs were seen as unnecessary with the advent of weather forecasting technology. Earlier in 2018, the service […]

Lawmakers debate major changes for US special operations forces

The winds of change are blowing through the United States’ Special Operations Forces (SOF) as lawmakers debate significant changes to the mandate of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). According to a March 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service, USSOCOM is trying to pass an amendment to the Unified Command Plan that would greatly […]

Major changes coming to US special operations forces

The winds of change are blowing through the United States’ Special Operations Forces (SOF) as lawmakers debate significant changes to the mandate of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). According to a March 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service, USSOCOM is trying to pass an amendment to the Unified Command Plan that would greatly […]

Aid workers to train and work alongside SEAL Team 6?

Since the Vietnam War, the United States government has experimented with embedding development workers within military and intelligence teams to advance its work in counterinsurgency (COIN) missions with programs such as Civil Operations and Rural Development Support (CORDS) and Phoenix. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has always led the charge in providing […]

Take a look at the Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 wishlist for 2019: Target Engagement, Breaching and other classified projects

In the never-ending quest to remain technologically ahead of current and future rivals, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has assembled two documents containing lists of capabilities and technologies that will enable its special operators to dominate the battlefield. More specifically, the JSOC documents, which are titled Special Operations Forces (SOF) Capability and Technology Interest […]

Know a SEAL from a Night Stalker: a breakdown of US Special Operations units

While it could be said that every unit which falls under the “special ops” umbrella is comprised of operators who can move, shoot, and communicate with lethal efficiency, different units developed to address specialized challenges. As the years wore on, and particularly since the onset of the Global War on Terrorism, lines may have blurred […]

The Maltz Challenge: How special operators honor a fallen brother

Military bonds forged in the adversity of training and the rigors of combat are hard to break. When a warrior falls, his memory lives forever with his brothers in arms. Since 9/11, a popular way to commemorate fallen warriors has been to organize physically and mentally demanding events that resonate with the fallen warrior’s background. […]

Rest Easy: Ranger assigned to secretive reconnaissance unit dies in free-fall accident

A Ranger serving with the secretive Ranger Reconnaissance Company (RRC) died in a free-fall parachute accident on March 15th. Sgt. 1st Class Ethan Carpenter was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Special Troops Battalion (STB). “Sgt. Carpenter was an exemplary soldier and Ranger leader, and a dedicated husband and father. He did the toughest jobs […]