Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

US special ops investing in new technology as warfare evolves

US special ops investing in new technology as warfare evolves

SOCOM commander specifically mentioned cyber attacks and global threats from China and Russia

The U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is investing in new technology as warfare evolves, Gen. Richard Clarke said earlier this week.

The SOCOM commander specifically mentioned cyberthreats, including the Colonial Pipeline hack that led to a significant gas shortage in areas across the East Coast after a Russian ransomware group called DarkSide attacked the company's software, as well as global threats from China and Russian disinformation campaigns.

"We must modernize the [Defense] Department," he said during a Tuesday keynote speech at the annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC), hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association. "Even as these threats evolve, why am I still confident we'll rise to this challenge? Because … we've done it before, and we'll do it again."

He added that there are two things he can say about the future of SOCOM: First, the command "will remain an integral part of our nation's solutions to the toughest and most strategic problems." Second, military and industry will come together to "answer the calls to innovate for our nation for the next 20 years and beyond."

What hasn't changed, he said, are SOCOM's four broad mission areas, including crisis response, counterterrorism, competition and conflict. But while competition has always existed between the U.S. and other countries, "new tech has given adversaries new avenues to compete," such as cyber, space and information, Clarke said.

SOCOM Director of Science and Technology Lisa Sanders gave a Tuesday presentation at the SOFIC event showing a $16 million increase from SOCOM's current fiscal year 2021 budget for "next-generation effects," which include high-tech drones and energy weapons, to $36 million in its FY 2022 budget.

"There is one area that we expect to grow," Sanders said during her presentation. "Next-generation effects … in the past, that was more oriented toward precision strike. We are shifting to what effect is going to be required in that future operating environment."

She added that the budget increase will give the SOCOM the opportunity to "see what next-generation looks like," which isn't "a bullet that goes farther" or a "more accurate cyber rifle."

"We think it's going to explore the areas of cyber. It's going to explore the electromagnetic spectrum. It's going to explore information as the means of achieving effect," she explained.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
×