Business
SOCOM Orders Cropduster Attack Planes from L3Harris Technologies
The contract, which could grow to 75 aircraft, marks a major victory for proponents of prop-driven close air support.
Policy
SOCOM Nominee Sees China Fight As More Partner Building, Less Door Kicking
The SOCOM mission in the age of high-end conflict a lot less flashy than Zero Dark Thirty
Threats
Three More Nations Join Ukraine Planning Cell Run By Army Special Forces
Army secretary says U.S. intelligence may help Ukrainian convoys evade Russians.
Science & Tech
‘Collaborative, Portable Autonomy’ Is the Future of AI for Special Operations
Creating autonomous teams in contested environments will be a challenge of technology—and policy.
Ideas
Another Killer Dressed Up Like a Special Operator
The SOF community could do more to protect what they’ve earned and shame wannabes who dress to kill.
Science & Tech
Special Operators Want AI to Help Discern Public Opinion
New sentiment-analysis tools would improve psyops, SOCOM commander says.
Policy
What Have US Special Operators Learned from the Ukraine War?
The Army, for one, is considering creating a special-operations drone specialty.
Science & Tech
Air Force Special Operations Looks To Reinvent Itself On the Cheap
Cargo planes that drop cruise missiles from pallets and land on water show how air special operators are trying to trick out what they’ve already got on the tarmac.
Science & Tech
General Atomics Unveils New Drone That Carries 16 Hellfire Missiles
The Mojave, marketed for special forces, doesn’t need a traditional runway to launch.
Threats
The Taliban is No ‘Partner,’ Says Top US Special Ops Commander
After withdrawing, the US must rely on other Afghans and foreign governments for intelligence to track and target ISIS-K.
Science & Tech
US Air Force Developing Combat Tanker-Airlifter that Can Land on Water
In a conflict with China, aircraft will need flexibility in basing, and that means water takeoffs, landings.
Science & Tech
SOCOM Members Got an All-Star Crash Course in AI
Over a unique six-week course, participants met virtually with tech leaders to talk about AI's future.
Science & Tech
Army SOF Units Are Getting Smaller, More Self-Reliant as Focus Shifts to China, Russia
New adversaries, warfare concepts, and gear are also driving special operators to become more tech-savvy.
Science & Tech
Tough Conditions and Contested Communication Are Forcing the US Military To Reinvent AI
Those miracle apps on your phone are powered by cloud computing and high-bandwidth data transfer. What does AI look like when those features are missing?
Ideas
Defense One Radio, Ep. 81: The future of Afghanistan
Ben Watson talks with Greg, a Green Beret medic who served in Afghanistan, and with Long War Journal's Bill Roggio.
Ideas
ISIS and Al-Qaeda’s Sub-Saharan Affiliates Are Poised for Growth in 2021
A rundown on jihadi groups’ expansion in the Sahel and Nigeria, the Horn of Africa, and the continent’s southeastern Swahili coast.
Business
New Plane Key to Special Ops Vision for Africa, General Says
Air Force Special Operations Command is planning flight demonstrations in coming months.
Science & Tech
AI Is Reshaping the US Approach to Gray-Zone Ops
Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools aren’t just for big hot wars, but also for places where the battle lines aren’t clear.
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