Special Operations Forces (SOF) offer the US Department of Defense (DoD) a force-multiplying and flexible solution as it pivots towards countering aggression below the threshold of full conflict from the likes of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Russian Federation.
As a unifying special operations command in the Indo-Pacific, the US Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) has become a critical tool for the US DoD and its Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) as it seeks to sustain relationships with dozens of SOF entities throughout the region, and counter PRC and Russian Federation activities.
Addressing the AFCEA TechNet Indo-Pacific Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii on 1 March, the US INDOPACOM commander, Admiral Phil Davidson described how SOF comprised an important element of the Joint Force as it seeks to shape the region.
Describing ongoing efforts to overcome shortfalls in the face of this “Great Power Competition”, Davidson explained how China remains emboldened to take action to supplant the established rules-based international order”.
The pivot towards operations associated with the Great Power Competition was first officially discussed by SOCPAC and its regional partners at the Transregional Resistance Working Group (TRWG) in Monterey, California in February 2020.
The event, entitled The Role of SOF and Great Power Competition – Comparative Dialogue of Russia and China, featured the participation of SOF representatives from across the region, including Canada, Estonia, France, Georgia, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the US.
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