I’m not sure which impresses me more; the places I see the SIG MCX show up, or that MARSOC is the Honey Badger of SOF. They definitely have no issue doing it their way. This is by no means an indication of adoption but it’s good to see that are checking things out and have no qualms about acknowledging it.
Noticeably absent from this impressive display of weapons? The M45A1 CQBP.
The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has issued an RFI to solicit technology experimentation candidates from Research and Development (R&D) organizations, private industry, and academia for inclusion in future experimentation events coordinated by USSOCOM. The goal is to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) warfighter, while providing participants with the opportunity to gain Special Operations Forces (SOF) insight/perspective on participant technologies.
USSOCOM technology experimentation events provide an opportunity for technology developers to interact with operational personnel to determine how their technology development efforts and ideas may support or enhance SOF capability needs. The environment facilitates a collaborative working relationship between Government, academia, and industry to promote the identification and assessment of these emerging and mature technologies.
This time they are seeking technologies for the SOF Combat Swimmer/Diver. If selected, the technology will participate in a Technical Experimentation event 3-7 August, 2015 at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado near San Diego, CA.
Specifically, they are seeking:
4. Technology areas to explore during the event
4.1 Focus specific technology capabilities on the ability to survive in the water column.
4.1.1 Maneuverability,
4.1.2. Employment of weapons,
4.1.3. Navigational accuracy,
4.1.4. Diver situational awareness both in and out of the water column,
4.1.5. Communications to and from the maritime realm.
This is a multispectral effort for the individual SOF Combat Swimmer/Diver and his equipment.
The deadline for nomination package(s) is 15 May, 2015 at 12:00 Noon EST (sic).
For full details visit www.fbo.gov.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous quote, “The Man in the Arena” from his speech, “Citizenship In The Republic” has long been associated with Special Operations Forces. Special Forces recently created a video depicting their unique capabilties as a narrator recites the quote.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
