Curated news, analysis, and commentary on special operations, intelligence, irregular warfare, national defense, and global conflicts.

Photo / Image: CV-22 from the 8th Special Operations Squadron flies over the Emerald Coast outside Hurlburt Field. (AFSOC photo).

Executive Summary

This weekly briefing summarizes the most significant events affecting special operations forces, irregular warfare, intelligence, and national security during the past week. Some stories in this update include a new PSYOP unit for Africa, an essay on SOF in 2040, testosterone treatments for SOF members, how technology is shaping the future of SOF in the Pacific, SOCKOR CoC, and updates on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Do you receive our daily newsletter? If not, you can sign up here and enjoy it 2 or 3 times a week with your morning coffee (or afternoon tea depending on where in the world you are).

Key Outlooks

• SF and LSCO
• New CCWO at 1st SF Command
• Testosterone program and SOF
• Four U.S. service members KIA in Jordan / Iraq
• DoD revising KIA numbers downward
• U.S. CENTCOM has conducted almost 2 weeks of consecutive attacks
• Iran’s missiles now more sophisticated
• Iran remains strategically resilient despite sustained CENTCOM strikes
• Ukrainian long-range attacks continue degrading Russian logistics
• USSOCOM is accelerating AI and rapid acquisition initiatives
• Army digital communications are undergoing significant consolidation
• NATO SOF modernization continues despite broader alliance tensions
• Many Army social media accounts to be eliminated