SOF Week 2026
Inside SOCOM’s Search For New Machine Guns, Rifles And Ammo
Lt. Col. Alan Wood, SOCOM’s Program Manager for Lethality, offers some exclusive insights into the future of SOCOM small arms.
-
Hunt For C-146 Wolfhound Special Ops Transport Plane Replacement Underway
On any given day, C-146s are criss-crossing the globe to far-flung locales, but they are increasingly difficult to sustain.
-
AC-130J Gunship With Mini Cruise Missiles Paired With AESA Radar To Undergo Tests
The plan is to demonstrate a fully integrated, longer-range strike capability that could keep the AC-130 relevant in high-end conflicts.
-
BlitzBox Packs 100 Weaponized Drones Into An Unassuming Container
DZYNE’s BlitzBox is the kind of containerized drone launcher the U.S. military is now very actively pursuing.
-
Plan To Test OA-1K Skyraider II’s Rapid Deployability Outlined By Air Force Special Ops Command
The Air Force also plans to add laser-guided rockets to the OA-1K’s armament as it works toward operational capability amid relevance concerns.
-
Coast Guard Creates Its Own Special Operations Command
The Coast Guard is putting all of its specialized forces under a single headquarters as demand for their services is at an all-time high.
-
Super-Adaptable Mayhem 10 Swarming Drone Evolved From The Switchblade
AeroVironment’s Mayhem 10 is highly-modular and can seek and destroy enemy radars, jam comms, reconnoiter, strike armor and more.
-
First Look At What A Night Stalker MV-75 Cheyenne Will Look Like
A new rendering shows an MV-75 with special operations-specific features like a radar, other sensors, and in-flight refueling capability.
-
How A Dusty Strip Deep In Iran Can Be Turned Into A U.S. Special Operations Base In Hours
An ex-USAF Special Tactics Squadron member tells how the impromptu airfield in Iran would have been rapidly established and defended.
-
Night Stalker AH-6 Little Bird Helicopters Destroyed At Forward Landing Site In Iran
At least one burned-out AH/MH-6 Little Bird can be seen in photos of the austere airfield that served as a hub for the rescue of the F-15E WSO.
-
Red Wolf Cruise Missile Eyed To Give OA-1K Skyraider II Standoff Strike Capability
Giving the OA-1K a standoff strike capability has been seen as one potential way to expand its relevance in an era focused on high-end foes.
-
This Is What The Night Stalkers’ MH-60M Direct Action Penetrator Brought To The Venezuelan Op
The hard-hitting attack version of the special operations MH-60 was clearly among the critical assets used in Operation Absolute Resolve.
-
How The Night Stalkers Are Planning To Survive In Future High-End Fights
The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is having to drastically adapt its playbook in order to be effective in future fights against major foes.
-
New Rifles Chambered In 6.5mm Creedmoor Heading To U.S. Special Operations Armories
The new Mid-Range Gas Gun-Assault will give U.S. special operators a rifle option for greater reach, accuracy, and ballistic performance.
