Special Operations Forces in the 21st Century

Special Operations Forces in the 21st Century PDF

Author: Jessica Glicken Turnley

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-08-09

Total Pages: 541

ISBN-13: 1351802674

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This book sets out the major social scientific approaches to the study of Special Operations Forces. Despite consistent downsizing, over the past two decades the armed forces of the industrial democracies have seen a huge growth in Special Operations Forces (SOF). Through increasing numbers of personnel and more frequent deployments, SOF units have wielded considerable influence in conflicts around the world, with senior SOF officers having led major strategic operations. This increased presence and unprecedented expansion for SOF is largely a result of the ‘new’ kinds of conflicts that have emerged in the 21st century. At the same time, even with this high profile in the military, policy and media and popular cultural arenas, there is relatively little social scientific research on SOF. This volume aims to fill this gap by providing a series of studies and analyses of SOF across the globe, since the end of World War II. Analysing SOF at the micro, mezzo and macro levels provides broad and diverse insights. Moreover, the volume deals with new issues raised by the use of such forces that include emerging modes of civilian control, innovative organizational forms and the special psychological characteristics necessitated by SOF operatives. It concludes with a discussion of a question which continues to be debated in today’s militaries: what makes SOF ‘special’? Filling a clear gap in the literature, this book will be of much interest to students of strategic studies, civil-military relations, irregular warfare, security studies, and international relations.

United States Special Operations Forces

United States Special Operations Forces PDF

Author: Christopher J. Lamb

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2019-11-19

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 0231545223

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In this book, two national-security experts put the exploits of America’s special operation forces in historical and strategic context. David Tucker and Christopher J. Lamb offer an incisive overview of America’s turbulent experience with special operations. Starting with in-depth interviews with special operators, the authors illustrate the diversity of modern special operations forces and the strategic value of their unique attributes. Despite longstanding and growing public fascination with special operators, these forces and their contribution to national security are poorly understood. With this book, Tucker and Lamb dispel common misconceptions and offer a penetrating analysis of how these unique and valuable forces can be employed to even better effect in the future. The book builds toward a comprehensive assessment of the strategic utility of special operations forces, which it then considers in light of the demands of future warfare. This second edition of United States Special Operations Forces, revised throughout to account for lessons learned in the twelve years since its first publication, includes two new case studies, one on High Value Target Teams and another on Village Stability Operations, and two new appendixes charting the evolution of special operation missions and the best literature on all aspects of U.S. special operation forces.

21st Century SOF

21st Century SOF PDF

Author: Harry Richard Yarger

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 83

ISBN-13: 9781933749754

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This report considers the 21st century security environment, previous work on special operations theory, and various other perspectives of SOF gleaned from the author's research to synthesize an American SOF school of thought, which he argues provides a foundation for developing an American special operations theory for the 21st century. The author offers definitions, premises, and principles that explain modern American special operations over the last 70 years and can serve SOF well into the future. Based on his research, the author identifies major areas of concern for SOF leadership. As USSOCOM confronts the challenges offered by the 21st century and policymakers continue to look at SOF as a preferred means to address numerous and complex security issues, theory is essential in determining and explaining the appropriate roles and missions for SOF in the 21st century.

21st Century SOF: Toward an American Theory of Special Operations

21st Century SOF: Toward an American Theory of Special Operations PDF

Author: Harry Yarger

Publisher:

Published: 2013-09-04

Total Pages: 94

ISBN-13: 9781492333470

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In this concise JSOU monograph, Dr. Rich Yarger considers the 21st century security environment, previous work on special operations theory, and various other perspectives of SOF gleaned from his research to synthesize an American SOF school of thought, which he argues provides a foundation for developing an American special operations theory for the 21st century. He offers definitions, premises, and principles that explain modern American special operations over the last 70 years and can serve SOF well into the future. Based on his research, he identifies major areas of concern for SOF leadership. As USSOCOM confronts the challenges offered by the 21st century and policymakers continue to look at SOF as a preferred means to address numerous and complex security issues, theory is essential in determining and explaining the appropriate roles and missions for SOF in the 21st century.

Special Operations Contracting

Special Operations Contracting PDF

Author: Benjamin Tkach

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2019-05-10

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 9781097770137

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"Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics." This quote is attributed to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Robert H. Barrow in 1980. The observation is especially relevant to the USSOCOM enterprise due to the command's dual role as a combatant command and an organization with legislated military department-like authorities. One of the chief tasks under those military department-like authorities is the procurement and fielding of SOF-peculiar equipment. Certainly within the past 15 years, many in the special operations community will argue that technology that is acquired and fast-fielded can save lives. Therefore, Dr. Tkach's monograph is an important read for SOF professionals. Dr. Tkach wrote this monograph for all professionals who study logistics and enable Special Operations Forces (SOF). As you review the work, consider how you can ensure SOF continues to receive the effective support it needs to carry out its mission.

International Military Operations in the 21st Century

International Military Operations in the 21st Century PDF

Author: Per M. Norheim-Martinsen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-05-08

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1317593138

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This book examines the challenges that military forces will face in multinational operations in the 21st century. Expanding on Rupert Smith’s The Utility of Force, the volume assesses the changing parameters within which force as a political instrument is ultimately carried out. By analysing nine carefully selected mission types, the volume presents a comprehensive analysis of key trends and trajectories. Building upon this analysis, the contributors break the trends and parameters down into real and potential tasks and mission types in order to identify concrete implications for military forces in future multinational operations. The context of military intervention in conflicts and crises around the world is rapidly evolving. Western powers’ shrinking ability and desire to intervene makes it pertinent to analyse how the cost of operations can be reduced and, how they can be executed more intelligently in the future. New challenges to international military operations are arising and this book addresses these challenges by focusing on three key areas of change: 1) An increasingly urbanised world; 2) The changing nature of missions; 3) The commercial availability of new technologies. In answering these questions and embracing some of the insights of a growing field of future studies, the volume presents an innovative perspective on future international military operations. This book will be of much interest to students of international intervention, military and strategic studies, war and conflict studies, security studies and IR in general.

Special Operations Forces

Special Operations Forces PDF

Author: John M. Collins

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 0788113615

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In this volume, John Collins speaks with the authority of one who was literally present at the birth of the low intensity conflict era. His long-term, intimate, and direct contact with the esoteric world of special operations has few parallels. Their roots go back in time and history considerably farther, but today's Special Operations Forces are largely products of the past three decades. Their development has been in response to the pressures of world-wide situations perceived to bear upon or which actually do affect American strategic interests. The use of raw military power may not provide solutions to the complex problems involved and may even be counter-productive. Special Operations forces, uniquely suited to fill the quasi-military gap, require the highest degree of professional competence in the application of the classical principles of war. This is a big order. It is difficult in a few words to pay John Collins the tribute he deserves for continuing efforts to educate both the Congress and the U.S. Armed Forces concerning the capabilities and limitations of special operations and the forces they involve. This latest addition to his carefully researched studies combines history, philosophy, factual data, and reference materials in a single document that should be on the desks of civilian and military leaders whose responsibilities relate in any way to special operations.

The Elite

The Elite PDF

Author: Leigh Neville

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2019-11-28

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 147282430X

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Using rare and previously unpublished images from around the world, The Elite: The A-Z of Modern Special Operations Forces is the ultimate guide to the secretive world of modern special operations forces. It sends the reader back in time to operations such as Eagle Claw in Iran and the recapture of the Iranian Embassy in London and then forward to recent operations against al-Shabaab and Islamic State. Entries also detail units ranging from the New Zealand SAS Group to the Polish GROM, and key individuals from Iraq counter-terrorism strategist General Stanley McChrystal to Victoria Cross recipient SASR Corporal Mark Donaldson. Answering questions such as how much the latest four-tube night vision goggles worn by the SEALs in Zero Dark Thirty cost, which pistol is most widely employed by special operators around the world and why, and if SOF still use HALO jumps, this book is the definitive single-source guide to the world's elite special forces.

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