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.

From the streets of Mogadishu to the caves around Kandahar, the military might of the United States in the twenty-first century often sits in the hands of a select group of elite fighters from all branches of the armed forces. If a rapid but low-intensity response is needed to help diffuse a potentially explosive or sensitive situation, the highly trained units of the Special Operations Forces are called in to take on the mission. Doing battle from the air, on land, and in the sea, these men must demonstrate the highest levels of strength, endurance, and intelligence to combat any enemy under every imaginable circumstance. They are called upon to undertake such varied tasks as airfield seizures, ambushes, guerrilla warfare, hostage rescue, intelligence reconnaissance, psychological warfare, or counterterrorism - often against an elusive or scattered foe. For each unit, author Fred Pushies offers inside information to explain every aspect of the work and history of these experts in unconventional warfare. Each chapter covers a specific unit, with sections on history, structure and hierarchy, training, weapons and equipment, and missions and tactics. More than 200 photos accompany this in-depth and essential guide to America's elite fighting forces.

Over 400 pages of useful medical information created for Special Forces medics and...

The companion volume to Elite 163: Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan, Leigh Neville now turns his expert analysis to the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the US and Coalition allies serving in Iraq since 2003. Filled with recently declassified material, first hand accounts, and unique photographs, this book offers a rare look at the largest mobilisation of Special Forces in recent history. Examining in detail the US Delta Force, the British SAS, Australian and Canadian Special Forces as well as CIA and MI6 operational units, this book provides a crucial study of their skills and success in Iraq, from the Battle of Debecka to storming the safe house of Uday Hussein. In a controversial war that has been plagued by high fatalities and military blunders, this book highlights the successes enjoyed by Special Forces Operatives.

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.

Among its key responsibilities, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) plans and synchronizes operations against terrorist networks. At any given moment, SOF are likely to be engaged in some state of the planning or execution of special operations in many countries around the world, spanning a wide range of environments and mission. SOF therefore must be capable of operating in environments ranging from tropical jungle to arctic, maritime to desert, subterranean to mountainous, and rural to urban. Within this vast range additional factors may influence technical and operational requirements including weather, topography, bathymetry, geology, flora, fauna, and human population density. All of these factors must be weighed in terms of the challenges they pose to supporting communications and operational security. In short, SOF must maintain the capability to operate globally, in any environment, angainst any threats that can be countered by its unique capabilities. Sensing and Supporting Communications Capabilities for Special Operations Forces focuses primarily on the key core SOF task of special reconnaissance, to determine SOF-specific sensing and supporting communications needs and mapping them to existing and emerging technologies. The book discusses preliminary observations, issuees, and challenges, and identifies additional capabilities and technology areas that should be addressed.