The U.S. Army is leading the effort to replace some of the light tactical wheeled vehicles in each of the different services. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a family of vehicles that will consist of two variants. One will be a four-seat Combat Tactical Vehicle (CTV) and the other will be a two-seat Combat Support Vehicle (CSV).

The JLTV will be transportable by fixed-wing (C-130) and rotary-wing aircraft (CH-47 and CH-53). It will be able to maneuver across a wide sprectrum of terrain to include urban areas. It will have protection against direct fire and improvised device threats with scalable armor. The JLTV will have joint forces network connectivity to improve siutational awareness of the operational environment.

The JLTV has been under development since 2015 and should be entering into full-rate production in late 2022. The intial contract should be for 30,000 JLTVs and 10,000 JLTV trailers; although this could change. Some JLTVs from the intial development phase have been delivered to the Army and Marine Corps. Other nations that may be purchasing the vehicle include the UK, Lithuania, Poland, and Motenegro. The first Army unit to receive the JLTV is the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The JLTV provides greater protection and increased mobility and payload compared to the current armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle platforms. Its off-road mobility is improved as well as fuel efficiency and reliability over the Mine Resistant Ambush Proected All-Terrain Vehicles.

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Photo: United States Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC).

SOF News Update 20180409 – Philippine’s AFP Socom is back, new cdr for 193rd SOSFS, pilots killed in Ft Campbell chopper crash, SOCOM’s WMD mission, how the assassins got their name, Marine Raider receives Silver Star, French SOF, GMV 1.1 for U.S. SOF, DoS to participate in Flintlock 2018, 1st Special Service Force – 75 years, British SOE, SOG vet recounts his time in Vietnam, HC-130J to CA ANG, film “Beirut”, “Ballad of the Green Beret” (by Cheers), and more.

Philippine’s AFP Socom is back. The Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Command (AFP Socom) has been reactivated. The Philippines has unified all of its elite special units under one command. The intent is a strategy aimed at ensuring the cohesiveness of its specialized units and to improve interoperability and coordination. The United States has had special operations forces in the Philippines advising and training Philippine SOF for years. The Philippine Army’s Special Forces Regiment, Scout Ranger Regiment, and the Light Reaction Regiment will become part of the AFP Socom. Read more in “The Special Operations Command is Back“, Business Mirror (PH), April 8, 2018.

Pilots Killed in Ft Campbell Chopper Crash. Two warrant officers from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade were killed when their AH-64E Apache went down during a routine training mission at Fort Campbell. (Stars and Stripes, Apr 8, 2018).

DoS in Flintlock 2018. The U.S. Department of State will participate in the AFRICOM Flintlock exercise. This annual special operations forces exercise has taken place regularly since 2005 in Africa. Approximately 1,900 service members from 20 African and Western partner nations will participate in multiple locations in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal during April 2018. Read “Department of State Participation in Flintlock 2018”,  Department of State, April 6, 2018.

Film “Beirut”. In 1985 William Buckley was the CIA station chief in Beirut. He was kidnapped by Hezbollah and tortured to death. Buckley was also a Green Beret who served in Vietnam. A new movie is being released entitled Beirut about a CIA operative from Boston who is ‘retrieved’ by the Central Intelligence Agency to rescue a CIA station chief who was kidnapped in Beirut. The film is set in the 1980s and stars Jon Hamm a former CIA negotiator. Read “Tony Gilroy’s CIA kidnap thriller ‘Beirut’ comes to screen after a long wait”, Boston Herald, April 8, 2018.

SOCOM’s WMD Mission. DoD transferred the counter WMD mission from the U.S. Strategic Command to the U.S. Special Operations Command. This is a positive step according to two writers but it may not be quite enough to face the myriad challenges ahead. Read more in “The risks, and rewards, for giving the counter WMD mission to SOCOM”, Defense News, April 6, 2018.

SOG Vet Recounts His Time in Vietnam. A former Green Beret tells his story of his assignment to Command and Control South (CCS) Reconnaissance Team Auger. (Waco Tribune-Herald, April 8, 2018).

GMV 1.1 for U.S. SOF. The Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 is currently undergoing airborne drop testing. The GMV 1.1 is to a be an airdrop-capable, light off-road vehicle for special operations. It is designed to be internally transportable via CH-47 helicopters as well as on Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Read “Army tests new tactical vehicle by throwing it out of a perfectly fine aircraft”, Army Times, April 6, 2018.

HC-130J to CA ANG. The California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing (RQW) has received a Combat King II combat search and rescue aircraft.  (Cision PR Newswire, Apr 6, 2018).

1st Special Service Force – 75 Years. In 1943 the First Special Service Force marched through Helena, Montana on their way to Europe to fight in the Italian campaign during World War II. The FSSF was one of the units that U.S. Army Special Forces draws on for its historical origins. Read more in “Helena’s Fearsome Force”,  Independent Record, April 6, 2018.

Marine Raider Receives Silver Star. A Marine was awarded the Silver Star for heroic actions that led to the rescue of dozens of hostages during the November 2015 terrorist attack on the Raddison Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali. (Marine Times, April 7, 2018).

Story on British SOE. During World War II a secret army of men and women were recruited for special operations and intelligence missions to fight against the German forces on the European continent. The Special Operations Executive was formed after the evacuation of British Expeditionary Forces from Dunkirk and the fall of France. (The Sun, April 6, 2018).

More SOE. The “Baker Street Irregulars” are featured in a new five-part BBC series called Secret Agent Selection: WWII. It is about 14 modern volunteers who undergo the same training that the original SOE recruits endured. (News.com.au, April 9, 2018).

Cheers and the Ballad of the Green Beret. Watch a five-minute clip of the popular show Cheers – a TV series about a bar in Boston – that features a version of the Ballad of the Green Beret. (YouTube.com).

French SOF. An recent article provides information about the special operations forces of France. Read “Special Forces: badly needed or imperious obligation?”, La Tribune, March 23, 2018.

How the Assassins Got Their Name. Read a short history about the assassins – a mix of fact and myth. (Warfare History Network, Jan 22, 2016).

New Cdr for 193rd SOSFS. The Special Operations Security Force Squadron has a new commander. (DVIDS, Apr 8, 2018).

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Photo Credit: A 10th Special Forces Group is on patrol during a raid in Alingar district, Laghman province, Afghanistan. By SGT Connor Mendez, 10th SFGA, February 17, 2018.

]]> 5751 https://sof.news/update/20170621/ Wed, 21 Jun 2017 07:00:14 +0000 http://www.sof.news/?p=2954 SOF News Update 20170621 – SOF general officer assignments, 7th SFGA CoC ceremony, WWII era Chindits, USSF birthday, USSOCOM eyes JLTV, profile of the executive director of the Green Beret Foundation, South Korean and U.S. SOF, photos of ‘SAS Wanderers’, [...]]]>

SOF News Update 20170621 – SOF general officer assignments, 7th SFGA CoC ceremony, WWII era Chindits, USSF birthday, USSOCOM eyes JLTV, profile of the executive director of the Green Beret Foundation, South Korean and U.S. SOF, photos of ‘SAS Wanderers’, Harris radio contract, 65th birthday of SF, Qatar SOF, and more.

7th SFGA CoC Ceremony. On Thursday, June 15, 2017 the 7th Special Forces Group held a change of command ceremony for it’s group commander. Colonel Michael Ball relinquished command of 7th SFGA to Colonel Patrick Colloton. The incoming commander has previously served with 7th SFGA as an ODA, company, and battalion commander. He graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) in 2001. Hmmmm. Young fella. It appears that 7th SFGA has adopted the name of “Red Empire” – not sure where that comes from. Read more in “Red Empire welcomes familiar face to take command”, Army.mil, June 19, 2017.

JLTV a Possibility for SOF. Various service components are eyeing the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle as their next generation multipurpose combat vehicle. United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is also interested – probably for their tactical air control elements and pararescuemen. Read “Everyone Wants a Piece of the New JLTV”, Task & Purpose, June 19, 2017.

65th Birthday of SF. Bob Mayer, book author and former Green Beret, shares his thoughts on the birthday of U.S. Army Special Forces in Special Forces turns 65 today, bobmayer.com, June 19, 2017.

Photos of “SAS Wanderers”. A collection of photographs has surfaced of British SAS Soldiers in Europe and Norway during World War II. (Daily Mail, June 19, 2017).

U.S. and S. Korean SOF. Tensions are rising on the Korean Peninsula. The Korean War, which has never formally ended, could flare up again. What role would United States and South Korean special operations forces have in another Korean conflict? Colonel (Ret) David Maxwell – a retired Green Beret and Associate Director for the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University – provides his thoughts in “How U.S., South Korean Special Ops Would Join Forces in a New Korean War”, The Cipher Brief, June 18, 2017.

Harris Corps Gets Big Contract. The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded Harris Corporation with a $255 million contract for next-generation manpack radios. (Business Wire, June 19, 2017).

Qatar SOF. The small Middle Eastern country of Qatar has been in the news lately. President Trump managed to insert himself into the middle of a dispute between Saudi Arabia, UAE, and other MENA countries and the country of Qatar by ‘tweeting’ about Qatar’s support of terrorists. Qatar is currently the recipient of an economic and diplomatic offensive by a number of countries due to differences in politics, diplomacy, and regional alignment (with a little ‘gas’ politics mixed in). Iran and Turkey, on the other hand, appear to be quite supportive of Qatar. It is unknown if President Trump was aware that Qatar hosts a U.S. naval base, air base, CENTCOM Forward, SOCCENT Forward, and ‘other SOF’ units for a total of about 11,000 service members. Read an article about Qatar SOF in “Qatar – Special Operational Forces”, New Delhi Times, June 19, 2017.

Trial of Jordanian Soldier Who Killed Three SF. The trial is ongoing for the soldier who shot and killed three Green Berets of 5th Special Forces Group on a Jordanian air base on November 4, 2016. Read “Witnesses Describe Jordan Shooting That Killed 3 US Troops”, Military.com, June 19, 2017.

Chindits in WWII. Read the story of a member, who recently passed away, of the World War II Long Range Penetration Group or “Chindits”. (Stourbridge News, June 19, 2017).

AFSOC GO Assignment. Vincent Becklund – currently deputy chief for the Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq – is to be the special assistant to the commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Story about Green Beret Foundation Exec Dir. Jennifer Paquette, the Executive Director of the Green Beret Foundation, is profiled in an inspiring story entitled “Hope Dealer: Jennifer Paquette”, House of Healing, June 18, 2017.

SOF News Update 20161213 – Lithuanian PYSOP Team, preparation tips for snipers, investigation reopened of Green Beret who killed an unarmed Taliban fighter, JTAC training, capture on Saddam Hussein Dec 13, 2003, SOF motorbike, Ukrainian SOF webpage, and more.

Operation Red Dawn. On December 13, 2013 – thirteen years ago – the former ruler of Iraq was captured by SOF and conventional forces. He was hiding in an underground tunnel near the city of Tikret, Iraq when discovered. Hussein was later hung by the Iraqi government. Read more about Operation Red Dawn in postings by WikipediA and U.S. Army.mil.  See also an excellent graphic by The Baltimore Sun (Dec 13, 2016) describing the operation. (Photo above from USSOCOM Twitter account posting Dec 13, 2016).

Australian Political Leader Visits Australian SOF in Iraq. Bill Shorten, an Australian Opposition leader, visited members of the Australian and New Zealand military who are based at Camp Taji, Iraq training up the members of the Iraq Counter Terrorism Service (CTS). The Daily Telegraph, December 12, 2016.

5 Prepartion Tips for Snipers. Former Army Ranger Nicholas “The Reaper” Irving provides us with five important tips used by SOF snipers to prepare for leaving the wire – whether that is on a sniping mission in Iraq or Afghanistan or hunting big game in Alaska. Read “Here’s How a Direct-Action Sniper Maintains His Gear in the Field”, Task and Purpose, December 7, 2016.

Investigation Reopened on Green Beret. During the battle of Marja, Afghanistan in February 2010 Major Matthew Golsteyn killed a Taliban bombmaker who had been captured and then released. The killing became a subject of investigation when the CIA provided information to the U.S. Army about the incident. During a job interview the Special Forces Soldier admitted to CIA interviewers that he had killed the Taliban – at the time unarmed and buried him in the desert. The Army did an investigation but cleared him – recommending him for a general discharge. Recently Golsteyn admitted the killing once again on a Fox News interview – and now the Army wants to reopen the investigation. Read more in “Army reopens investigation into former Green Beret Matthew Golsteyn”, Army Times, December 8, 2016.

Interview about IO to end Conflict in Colombia. One of the successes of the U.S. SOF forces (specificially 7th SFGA) is the long-term strategy of training up the Colombian special forces to fight the FARC in Colombia. Lara Logan, a 60 Minutes correspondent and no stranger to the SF community, interviewed an ad executive who ran a information operations campaign to help end the conflict. Read more in “How Unconventional Thinking Transformed a War-Torn Colombia”, CBS News 60 Minutes, December 11, 2016.

The Selection: Special Operations Experiment. The History Channel is putting 30 civilians through a special operations themed survival course. Learn more in an article posted by Monster and Critics, December 8, 2016.

JTAC Training Goes Hi-Tech. A recent article (8 Dec 2016) by Giles Ebbutt in IHS Jane’s 360 provides information on new and updated training systems for JTACs. The Joint Terminal Attack Controllers will use a system to train FOs and FACs for close air support and indirect fire. Read more in “JTAC training tech advances emerge”.

Ukrainian SOF Webpage. The Ukrainian military has posted a website about Ukrainian SOF. You might want to have your web browser translate it into English for viewing.
http://sof.mil.gov.ua/

MOTOPED for SOF? The MOTOPED Survival Bike could be a SOF operator’s means of transportation in a conflict area. This sturdy mountain bike / motorcycle is perfect for someone who needs to maneuver across tough terrain. Read more in “The MOTOPED Survival Bike Could Be the Wheels Special Operations Forces Need”, Task and Purpose, December 13, 2016.

Video of Lithuanian PSYOPS Team. U.S. SOF from SOCEUR were present during a recent exercise in Eastern Europe. The SOF exercise included use of a Lithuanian PSYOPS team to provide battlefield deception. Watch a short (2-min) video.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbu4X61FpcM

A lot a special operations forces (SOF) news today. British SAS selection, combat divers, book by a Ranger sniper, SOF vehicles, Ranger Hall of Fame, and some neat videos.

Seahawks Spend Day with Combat Divers. A few players from the NFL team got to spend a day with Combat Divers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The favor was returned when the Special Forces team members spent a day at the Seahawks training camp. Read “Doug Baldwin, Seahawks Pay Tribute to Combat Divers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord”, Seahawks.com, July 31, 2016.

Proposed Law to Limit British PM in Use of Special Forces. According to a news report Jeremy Corby – the Labour leader – thinks that Britain should have a US-style war powers act to prevent secret missions without a paramilitary vote. Read “Jeremy Corbyn calls for law to limit PM’s powers to deploy special forces”, The Guardian, August 1, 2016.

Interview – “Way of the Reaper”. Former Army Ranger Nicholas Irving has written a book about his experiences serving with the Ranger Regiment in Iraq and Afghanistan as a sniper.
http://taskandpurpose.com/ex-army-ranger-nicholas-irving-becoming-reaper/?

Special Operations Vehicles. The past several years, with combat campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations – have seen major advancements in the design and fielding of vehicles for special operations forces. Read an in-depth article on the topic in “Special Operations Vehicles”, Special Operations International, July 19, 2016.

SOCEUR Hosts Jump Week. The Special Operations Command Europe hosted the 2^nd Annual International Jump Week in Stuttgart, Germany from July 25-29, 2016. Jumpers from Belguim, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Lativia, and the UK joined US paratroopers to conduct HALO and static line parachute jumps. Read more in “Paratroopers reinforce bonds during IJW2016”, DVIDS, July 29, 2016.

Description of British SAS Selection. The selection process for the SAS lasts over 5 months and has a 90 per cent fail rate. The “Special Forces Aptitude Test” is required for entry into the 22 SAS, the Territorial Army’s SAS reserve units, and the Special Boat Service (SBS).  There are two courses a year – winter and summer. Read more in “Tested to destruction: the terrifying selection process for British SAS”, Special-Ops.org, August 1, 2016.

Top Ten. A recent news report lists the top ten SF units around the globe. Read “The Top Ten Special Forces Units in the World”, Gazette Review, July 30, 2016. Hmmmm.

New Members of Ranger Hall of Fame. Fifteen retired Rangers were inducted into the 2016 Ranger Hall of Fame class in a recent ceremony. Read “Ranger Hall of Fame welcomes 2016 Inductees”, Army.mil, July 20, 2016.

Mandatory Military Service – Not Needed. Retired Green Beret Scott Mann provides us some reasons why we don’t need the draft in a short video posted by Business Insider (August 1, 2016).
www.businessinsider.com/why-military-doesnt-need-mandatory-service-2016-7

Memorial for Navy SEAL. “A memorial for slain Navy SEAL and “American Sniper” author Chris Kyle has been unveiled in the West Texas city where he was born in 1974”. See a news report by Army Times, July 29, 2016.

Video of MARSOC Individual Training Course. Watch a 3-min long video of MARSOC training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJjFJXfca04

Technology and SOF. Special operators operate in many challenging environmental regions of the world. Technology can assist the SOF personnel in the performance of their mission. The United States Special Operations Command is constantly updating the uniforms and equipment that SOF operators wear. Read more in “Wearable Technology Could Change How Special Operations Forces Fight”, National Defense Magazine, August 2016.

USASOC Jumpmaster School. Learn how tough it is to graduate from the three-week long jumpmaster school run by USASOC at Fort Bragg in “USASOC Paratroopers strive to be leaders in the sky”, DVIDS, August 1, 2016.

Secret Aussie Commandos Honored. Surviving members of a secret Australian command unit – “Z Special Unit” – sent into occupied Asia to fight the Japanese during World War II were recently honored. Read “After 7 decades, memorial of Z Special commandos”, The Australian, August 2, 2016.

Video of Artillery Training. Watch an 8-minute long video of artillery training by 1^st Battalion, 101^st Field Artillery Regiment of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. They are conducting their annual training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Video by SSgt Caitlin Jones, and posted by DVIDS.
www.dvidshub.net/video/477284/massachusetts-national-guard-field-artillery-training