Mission

During the first week of October, China sent more than 150 aircraft into Taiwan’s air-defense identification zone. Although this area is not treated as territorial airspace, the transgression was still thought of a provocative move on China’s part. It...

A peculiar exercise was conducted this weekend on the largest Swedish island, Gotland, involving an USAFSOC MC-130J Commando II and several Swedish Air Force aircraft. The MC-130J was escorted by a Swedish C-130H (TP-84) and two JAS 39 Gripen...

The US Air Force Special Operations Command would like to purchase 75 aircraft capable of conducting reconnaissance as well as providing close air support in the most unforgiving of regions. The quest to find a suitable platform is known...

The overarching focus of American special operations over the last two decades has been counterterrorism missions. Counterterrorism, while presenting its own unique set of dangers and challenges, tends to involve less technologically sophisticated enemies than those we would likely...

In-Q-Tel is a nonprofit investment firm that the CIA founded in 1999 to “identify, adapt, and deliver cutting-edge technologies that address national security needs”. A recent report from Vice Media states that In-Q-Tel transferred a sum of $1.6M to...

Fast-roping from a helicopter is an essential ability in operations where the environment or hostile combatants make landing impossible. Fast-roping as a technique was first practiced by British operators during the Falklands War. It demands soldiers descend down a...

On the night of October 5th, 2009, in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, a team comprised of Green Berets, Afghan Army soldiers and an Air Force Combat Controller were surrounded by enemies in a “Taliban sympathetic village”. They were ambushed...

It is difficult to look at the present state of Afghanistan and justify the American lives lost, resources spent, and time wasted during the 20-year conflict. Part of what makes this hypothetical so appealing is that American SOF were...

A small group of five Green Berets at Fort Bragg had been using their off hours to facilitate the rescue of American citizens and Afghan allies who remained in Afghanistan. They were operating with the support of 1st Special...

The Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a covert special operations unit that operated in southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. They conducted a variety of sensitive missions but specialized in direct action, unconventional warfare,...