MARITIME FOBS FOR SEABORNE SOF

Across Asia Pacific, special operations forces (SOF) are receiving upgrades in maritime capability to support emerging mission sets associated with the Great Power Competition (GPC).

- Andrew White

Designed to counter potential military threats from the People’s Republic of China and/or the Russian Federation, regional SOF forces are rapidly evolving concepts of operation (CONOPS) to successfully engage with high capability adversaries and maintain tactical overmatch.

Such considerations were explored at the US Special Operations Command Pacific’s (SOCPAC’s) Transregional Resistance Working Group (TRWG) in Monterey, California between 4-6 February 2020.

According to SOCPAC officials, the overarching theme of the event was to compare “Russian and Chinese Aggression” across the region, with particular focus on strategic threats facing Mongolia and Taiwan which continue to

“seek to increase efforts in the resilience and resistance areas of their national security strategy”.

“After 20 years of sustained counter- violent extremist organisation (C-VEO) fighting, SOF will see more of a pivot to the GPC. SOF’s inherent ability to be a flexible, agile, and adaptive force will continue to compliment the joint force as we focus on the GPC,” a SOCPAC spokesperson explained to Asian Military Review following the event.

“SOF has always taken on multiple roles. Although we have been heavily invested in the counter-terrorism fight for the past 20 years, we haven’t lost our focus on the GPC. As we see our policy begin to shift focus from a CT fight to competing in the GPC, we will balance requirements based on priorities informed by assessments,” it was added.