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SOFWERX – Long Endurance/High Altitude Maritime & Land UAS Assessment Event

Thursday, May 16th, 2024

SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM SOF AT&L Program Executive Office Tactical Information Systems (PEO-TIS), will host an Assessment Event 15-18 July 2024 to identify production model solutions for long endurance unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that are capable of takeoff, operation, and landing in both confined space maritime and land environments.

The technology desired by USSOCOM is intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) UAS.

PEO-TIS is seeking information on a specific technology area to gain knowledge of, explore, and identify available capabilities for potential inclusion in the Long Endurance Maritime/Land UAS AE. Technology desired by USSOCOM is intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) UAS that operate in confined space maritime and dense urban environments. The proposed solutions should currently support mission autonomy, autonomous multi-vehicle cooperation, and automated transit to/from the target and over-the-horizon capabilities, or the solutions provider should be able to rapidly develop these capabilities. UAS air vehicles should be capable of 8-hours of endurance with a 20 lb. total payload (weight includes baseline FMV payload) spread across multiple locations on the air vehicle and be able to launch/recover with sustained relative winds up to 20 knots. UAS should possess the ability to control multiple air vehicles, shifting the human’s role from operator toward mission manager, and navigation capabilities that can operate in environments where GPS signals are spoofed, jammed, or otherwise unavailable. The system must include electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) full motion video (FMV) capabilities for day and night operations and be able to support future integration of USSOCOM Modular Payload interface for additional payloads. The imagery sensor may be a single or multi-imager (e.g., day only, night only, or day/night combined). The air vehicle should operate on a variety of energy sources that can be produced or recharged in an austere environment and are approved for use on Naval surface ships. DoD/NATO standard Heavy Fuel JP5, JP8, other energy sources such as batteries and fuel cells are promising and may be used if approved for naval surface ships.

Submit NLT 13 June 2024 11:59 PM ET

Details here.

U.S. Citizens Only, ITAR Restricted

Posted in SOF, UAS | Comments Off on SOFWERX – Long Endurance/High Altitude Maritime & Land UAS Assessment Event

319th Special Operations Squadron Changes Command, Marks Reassignment to 492nd Special Operations Wing

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

On May 3, Lt. Col. Caitlin Reilly took command of the 319th Special Operations Squadron colloquially known as Slayers; simultaneously the squadron transitioned from the 1st Special Operations Group to the 492nd Special Operations Wing as part of a previously announced force restructure by Air Force Special Operations Command to ensure it is postured to rapidly deploy and sustain power in support of the National Defense Strategy.

“To the Slayers of the 319th Special Operations Squadron each one of you embodies the spirit of resilience and selflessness that will drive our Wing’s success forward with unwavering determination and tenacity,” said Col. Patrick Wnetrzak, commander 492nd Special Operations Wing. “Together, we stand as a formidable force, united in purpose and bound by the proud legacy of our traditions as we embark on this new chapter. Let us embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead with courage, unity and unwavering resolve,” he added.

In addition to the 319 SOS, other units that will realign under the 492 SOW include: 6 SOS/6 SOAMXS, Cannon AFB, N.M.; 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.; 22 STS, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.

By realigning these units, the 492 SOW will encompass all AFSOC’s mission capabilities – SOF Strike, SOF Mobility, SOF ISR, and SOF Air-to-Ground Integration.

“The Slayers have accomplished heroic missions and have changed history and are on the leading edge of new capabilities that will shape the future. You are silent professionals who don’t brag about any of these achievements because excellence has simply become a habit,” said Lt. Col. Caitlin Reilly, the 319th Special Operations Squadrons commander.

The unit realignments will take place over time and culminate with the relocation of the 492 SOW. Currently, an Environmental Impact Statement is being developed for the 492 SOW beddown at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

By Jennifer Gonzalez

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post, SOF | Comments Off on 319th Special Operations Squadron Changes Command, Marks Reassignment to 492nd Special Operations Wing

Platatac Presents: SASR Battle for the Golden Road (1984)

Sunday, April 28th, 2024

Our friends at Platatac have posted the full version on YouTube of “Battle for the Golden Road” a 1984 documentary on selection for the Australian Special Air Service.

Posted in Advertiser, History, SOF | 2 Comments »

Marking the 44th Anniversary of Operation Eagle Claw

Thursday, April 25th, 2024

America woke up on the morning of 25 April, 1980 to hear President Carter announced to a stunned world that the our nation had undertaken an ambitious raid into Iran to liberate 52 American hostages held illegally at our Embassy compound in Tehran. The assault force of what was known as “Operation Eagle Claw” can be seen here, loading C141s.

Unfortunately, the plan was complicated and the task force was made was made up of forces which hadn’t trained together long. The weather was problematic as well, and as the task force began to organize a withdrawal from Iranian territory after one-too-many helicopter failures, disaster struck.

We lost eight American servicemen in a horrible aircraft ground collision during refueling operations where a hovering SH53 helicopter flew into a C130 full of fuel bladders.

However, their deaths were not in vain. The hostages were eventually repatriated and the accident was the watershed event that created, over the next several decades, the world’s preeminent Special Operations capability; USSOCOM and its components. Over forty years later, we wouldn’t be where are without the determination of that fledgling task force.

Join me in remembering those who had the guts to try; legends to a man.

Posted in History, SOF | 2 Comments »

USSOCOM Inducts 18 New Members into Commando Hall of Honor

Sunday, April 21st, 2024

U.S. Special Operations Command inducted 18 former special operators to include 9 Medal of Honor recipients into the USSOCOM Commando Hall of Honor located at the USSOCOM headquarters, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, April 17, 2024. More than 100 people attended the ceremony and watched as each inductee received a medal from U.S. Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, USSOCOM commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter, USSOCOM command senior enlisted leader.

The Commando Hall of Honor was established in 2010 by former USSOCOM Commander Admiral Eric T. Olson and the award recognizes individuals who have served with distinction within the special operations forces community. The inductees join the storied ranks of those who preceded them.

This year’s Medal of Honor inductees were Vice Adm. John Duncan Bulkeley, Lt. j.g. (SEAL) Joseph R. Kerrey, Petty Officer Second Class (SEAL) Michael A. Monsoor, LT. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, Lt. (SEAL) Thomas R. Norris, Seaman David G. Ouellet, Lt. Cdr. Arthur M. Preston, Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Britt Kelly Slabinski, and Lt. (SEAL) Michael E. Thornton.

The special operators inductees were Air Force Col.. Stephen L. Baker, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Lewis H. Burruss, U.S. Army Col. Jerry M. King, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Craig S. Kozeniesky, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Wesley H. Rice, U.S. Navy Capt. William M. Shepherd, U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Peter Stalik, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William P. Tangney, and U.S. Air Force Lt Gen. Marshall B. Webb.

“Today for us is historic. This ceremony is about our people and really reflects our first SOF truth that humans are more important than hardware,” Fenton said. “Today we will reach 8 decades inducting 18 heroes into the Hall of Honor who took on some of the toughest missions in special operations.”

Buruss is a Vietnam veteran who conducted frequent cross border operations against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army and was also heavily involved in sensitive activities. For his numerous valorous acts and courage under fire, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, four Bronze Star Medals with valor, the Air Medal and three Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry.

“It’s just a real honor to be inducted to the Commando Hall of Honor,” Buruss said. “I know there are so many more deserving, but I am still honored and proud.”

Webb had a myriad of assignments over his 38 years of dedicated service to special operations. He participated in the search and recovery effort of United States Commerce Secretary Ron Brown who was on an official trade mission in Bosnia, when the Air Force CT-43 he was traveling in crashed into a mountainside near Dubrovnik, Croatia. Immediately following that mission, Webb participated in Operation Assured Response, the noncombatant evacuation operation of the United States Embassy located at Monrovia, Liberia. During both events, in recognition of his extreme fortitude, airmanship, and devotion to the humanitarian effort, he earned the 1996 Cheney Award. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he commanded a contingent of three Pave Low helicopters, crews, and support personnel to assist with recovery, search and rescue, and provided critical assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he led a flight of seven Pave Low helicopters that inserted several teams of United States SEAL teams and British Royal Marines in the al Faw area to safeguard oil platforms to prevent an ecological disaster. During the operation to kill or capture Osama bin Laden, he coordinated and facilitated the real-time video feed in the White House Situation Room as the United States President, Vice President, and members of the national security team looked on.

“This induction ceremony is so unique to SOCOM because it reached back 8 generations inducting people from World War II. You could see pride in the face of the families seeing their relatives inducted into the hall,” Webb said. “For me personally, it is an honor to be in the company of these heroes.”

The newest members will join other recognized warriors in the Commando Hall of Honor, which includes such legendary names as Aaron Bank, Charles Beckwith, Ted Lunger, Sidney Shacknow, William Darby and Army Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr.. Their contributions and legacies to the special operations community and this country have been unquestionably influential and are truly inspirational.

By: Michael Bottoms

USSOCOM Public Affairs

Posted in Guest Post, History, Profession of Arms, SOF | Comments Off on USSOCOM Inducts 18 New Members into Commando Hall of Honor

SOFWERX – Day and Night Heads Up Display (DANHUD) Assessment Event

Thursday, April 18th, 2024

SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM Program Executive Office Special Operation Forces – Warrior (PEO-SW) will host the Day and Night Heads Up Display (DANHUD) Assessment Event (AE) 25-27 June 2024 to identify solutions to enhance operator capability and situational awareness in both day and night conditions and decrease white-light self-illumination risk.

With the rapid advancements in both Augmented Reality (AR) and plug-ins that provide additional capability to the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), USSOCOM operators require a device that can display a wide variety of information without requiring the operator to look down at the End User Device (EUD) display on their chest. Such a device is expected to take the form of a look-through Heads-Up-Display (HUD) that would either mount onto the operator’s helmet or be integrated into ballistic eye wear, allowing for seamless heads-up operation. Because ATAK and future AR initiatives provide capability in both day and night conditions, this HUD device needs to be capable of being bright enough to be seen in sunlight, but also be used in conjunction with an operator’s Night Vision Goggles (NVG). Thus, the name for this device – Day And Night Heads-Up-Display (DANHUD).

Additionally, the operator must be able to quickly and easily change the type and number of battery cells powering their NVGs and the DANHUD system via a Modular Smart Battery Pack, allowing flexibility/adaptability in degraded logistics situations.

The objective is to discover and develop a HUD system (including a Modular Smart Battery Pack) that is capable of working both ‘stand-alone’ in daylight conditions and in conjunction with currently issued NVGs and future Advanced NVGs (such as the L3Harris Fusion Binocular (F-BINO) or Fused Panoramic NVG (F-PANO)) with integrated cameras/displays for night operation. Additionally, the HUD system needs to be able to receive data from an EUD-operating ATAK and be capable of powering and interfacing with helmet-mounted directional laser warning devices. The solutions provider(s) shall create an Interface Control Document (ICD) that allows ‘plug-and-play’ upgrades to the DANHUD system in the future. They should also expect to collaborate with USSOCOM operators to refine operator touch points and functionality throughout the development of the system.

Interested parties must submit 22 May 2024 11:59 PM ET. U.S. Citizens Only, ITAR Restricted.

For more details, visit events.sofwerx.org/day-and-night-heads-up-display.

Posted in Optics, SOF | Comments Off on SOFWERX – Day and Night Heads Up Display (DANHUD) Assessment Event

Special Operations Joint Task Force Central Establishes Space Force Team

Thursday, April 18th, 2024

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, Southwest Asia —

Special Operations Joint Task Force Central established Space Force-Team Sentinel, Feb. 16, 2024.

Team Sentinel is SOJTF-C’s designated space support element operating throughout Central and South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. It provides integrated full spectrum space-based capabilities across SOJTF-C’s area of operations.

Designed to optimize Special Operations Forces space integration, this team will provide integrated SOF specific space support, deliver innovative space solutions to unique problems, maintain awareness of threats, coordinate regional space operations, and integrate SOJTF-C with global space components to enable multi-domain special operations.

Team Sentinel supports and integrates with U.S. Central Command’s space component, U.S. Space Forces Central, contributing to unity of effort across the CENTCOM space enterprise.

Special Operations Joint Task Force-Central

Posted in Forces Focus, Guest Post, SOF, Space | 1 Comment »

Now Online in The Objective Series: SIG-MMG 338 Program (Part 1)

Wednesday, April 17th, 2024

In 2017, U.S. SOCOM challenged industry to provide potential solutions that could fill the gap between its man-portable, medium machine gun—the 7.62 NATO M240B/L, and its 84-plus-pound sibling—the 50 BMG M2A, a gap that was made all too apparent in the 2009 battle of COP Keating in Afghanistan.

This is the first post in a two-part series that details the journey of SIG SAUER’s machine gun development effort that began with the SIG MMG 338 for U.S. SOCOM’s LMG-M program, transitioned to the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapons program, and is now returning to its roots.

www.sigsauer.com/blog/the-sig-mmg-338-program-conception-to-reality-part-1

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, SOF, weapons | 5 Comments »