In an era marked by strategic shifts and technological advancements, US Special Operations Forces (SOF) are experiencing a transformative renaissance as they adapt to the ever-changing landscape of global conflict and great power competition. Gen. Bryan Fenton, SOCOM chief, asserted at the SOF Week conference in Tampa that strategic competition is deeply embedded in SOF’s DNA in Washington, D.C. March 20, 2024., signaling a pivotal moment for these elite units as they encounter a resurgence in their operational roles.
Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter highlighted the escalating demands on SOF, revealing a significant year-over-year increase in the need for their specialized capabilities. The reality of converging adversaries, as well as a swell in crisis response events by over 150 percent, creates an environment where the expertise of SOF is increasingly crucial.
These developments unfold against a backdrop of technological evolution, where tools like AI and autonomy are reshaping the battlefield. Gen. Fenton noted the potential of these advancements to dramatically augment the capacities of special operators, such as coordinating large swarms of drones with unprecedented efficiency.
“We haven’t seen … the arrival of that many different, I would call ecosystems or capabilities, going that fast together in quite some time,” he said.
At the same time, the defense industry is responding with innovations like Anduril’s AI-powered Pulsar electronic warfare system. Sam El-Akkad from Anduril explained how the system’s ability to rapidly adapt and disseminate new defenses across the network represents a significant leap in confronting electronic warfare threats.
“If any one system learns, and it find something new and unknown, which is also a differentiating feature, then that signal is recorded and captured,” El-Akkad told reporters in a briefing on Friday ahead of the announcement. “And then within hours, it’s analyzed and then it’s pushed back out to all the other systems. So if one system sees something new, all the other systems are trained to see that new thing and recognize it in the future.”
As U.S. forces reposition from areas like Central and West Africa, the strategic recalibration raises questions about the future of counterterrorism campaigns. Despite the lack of specifics regarding the impact of such withdrawals, the overarching trend is toward a recalibrated SOF mission set.
The newly released “Vision and Strategy” for the future of SOF underscores this pivot. It anticipates a more balanced force attuned to integrated deterrence and ready to exploit modernized formations and emerging technologies. The document, reflective of the classified National Defense Strategy (NDS), indicates a conscious shift from a predominant focus on counterterrorism to a more nuanced role in the broader scope of national defense.
Relevant articles:
– SOCOM chief sees ‘renaissance’ for special forces amid great power competition, evolving warfare, Breaking Defense
– powered electronic warfare system, Breaking Defense
– What the New Vision for US Special Operations Gets Right—and Wrong, Modern War Institute –
– Special Operations Forces in an Era of Great Power Competition, School of Advanced International Studies | Johns Hopkins University