The below features blogs, articles, and other news from our event organizers and media partners.
SOF Week News
2024 Media Coverage
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Real Clear Defense
SOCOM Kicks Off SOF Week in Tampa | RealClearDefense
Fox News
SOCOM conducts US military demonstrations in Florida with helicopters, paratroopers, counter attacks and more
SOCOM conducts US military demonstrations in Florida with helicopters, paratroopers, counter attacks and more US militaries including Navy SEALs, Army personnel and more gathered in Tampa, Florida, for SOF Week.
The sights of SOF Week 2024 [Photos] - Breaking Defense
RF Global Net
Strength In Unity SOF Week 2024 Brings Together Global Operators
SOF Week is a convention for the entire SOF Community, akin to an “AUSA National Meeting” for the U.S. Army or the “AFA National Convention” for the U.S. Air Force. This year SOF Week is taking place May 6-10.
Reuters
UK defence firm BAE Systems confident on growth | Reuters
BAE's order book, like that of many western defence companies, has swelled over the last two years as governments have reacted to heightened geopolitical risk in the wake of the war in Ukraine and amid growing tensions with China.
SOF Week 2024: Immersive Wisdom awarded DoD-wide Five-Year sole-source
$25MM ordering contract through GFY 2029 by the U.S. Air Force for groundbreaking TRL-9 No-Bandwidth and Low-Bandwidth Communications Software
Immersive Wisdom, Inc., provider of a proven TRL-9 distributed communications and ops center software platform for Denied, Degraded, Intermittent, and Limited-Bandwidth (DDIL) environments announced at SOF Week 2024 that it has been awarded a DoD-wide five-year sole-source $25MM ceiling IDIQ ordering contract by the USAF for its No-Bandwidth and Low-Bandwidth communications software.
sUAS News
Mayman Aerospace unveiling first full-scale model of Razor™ P100 military VTOL during SOF Week 2024 – sUAS News
C4ISR
What tech and gear to special ops troops want? A roundup from SOF Week
‘Power of Partnerships’ is Focus of Special Operations Forces Convention
TAMPA, Fla. — Senior leadership from U.S. Special Operations Command today emphasized the significant role that partnership plays in accomplishing the mission of special operations forces during keynote remarks at the start of Special Operations Forces Week 2024 in Tampa. While delivering a joint speech to roughly 3,000 convention attendees, Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Shane W. Shorter — Socom’s commander and senior enlisted leader, respectively — spoke about how global challenges require international SOF solutions.
“We often speak about the power of partnerships, and we want to double down on that today because this conference is the manifestation of the power of partnerships,” Fenton said.
Framing SOF Week as “a collision of differing perspectives crucial to solving intractable problems that our [partner and ally] nations depend on special operations to solve,” Fenton and Shorter spent the early part of their remarks recapping Socom’s three priorities: people, win, and transform.
Defense Aerospace Report with Vago Muradian
Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [May 08, 24] SOFWeek & CISA President Cup Winners
CAVASSHIPS Podcast [May 10, ’24] Ep: 144 Naval Special Warfare's Renaissance - Defense & Aerospace Report
Army Recognition
Galvion Unveils BATLCHRG Wireless Charging Concept for Combat Systems at SOF Week 2024
At the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week 2024, Galvion, a global leader in power and data management solutions and innovative head protection systems, will showcase its new wireless charging concept for combat systems, named BATLCHRG. This presentation follows the January 2024 announcement of a strategic investment partnership with Canadian technology company Quaze Technologies.
Anduril Industries unveils its new AI-driven Pulsar EW System at SOF Week 2024
DVIDS
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8396333/defense-experts-talk-technology-force- multiplier-sof-week-2024
Rogue 1 Drone Introduced at SOF Week | SOFREP
The battlefield of tomorrow is taking shape, and the US Marine Corps is at the forefront of this evolution. A new weapon system, the Rogue 1 drone, promises to revolutionize how Marines engage enemies, offering a potent blend of lethality and precision.
This man-portable, 10-pound (4.5-kilogram) loitering munition—as unveiled at last week’s Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week convention in Tampa—packs a powerful punch, capable of taking down infantry, armored vehicles, and even disabling enemy tanks with surgical accuracy.
Joint Forces .comGalvion Introduces BATLCHRG at SOF Week 2024 | Joint Forces News Spectra Launches GENSS at SOF Week 2024 | Joint Forces News
European Security and DefenseOverwatch looks to SOF Week to penetrate US market with its loitering munitions - European Security & Defence
The Atlas NewsSOF Week: Autonomy and AI Take Lead with Future of Tactical Lethality | Atlas News
I had spent the past week at SOF Week in Tampa to see what the latest innovations were in the defense space and one thing was blatantly obvious: The rise of artificial intelligence and autonomy in modern warfare. To many, this is quite obvious, but to see the sheer amount of AI-augmented technology presented at the conference painted a clear picture as the future of global conflict and the capabilities that will be fielded, from intelligence tools, logistics management, and kinetic effects.
Defense.gov'Power of Partnerships' Is Focus of Special Operations Forces Convention
PR News Wire- Reticulate Micro to Showcase VAST™ Video Compression Technology and Himera Tactical Radios at SOF Week 2024
- Cubic to Demonstrate Mission-Driven Multi-Domain Solutions at SOF Week 2024 | Newswire
- Draganfly Unveils UAV Innovations at SOF Week 2024 - TipRanks.com
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Defense NewsSpecial operations role in great power competition needs work
TAMPA, Fla. — Special operations will play an important role in competition with China and Russia, but that role needs refining, according to military officials.
U.S. Special Operations Command made major contributions during the Cold War and could be critical again, a retired general said during a Wednesday panel at the Global SOF Foundation’s SOF Week here. But one challenge is determining who’s in charge. Special operations can’t run the show but they can be at the front of where policy decisions meet the messiness of real-world operations.
Driverless boats, enduring sensors on the special ops maritime menu
TAMPA, Fla. — From lightening the load for combat divers to producing autonomous watercraft to adding in data-based technology to its systems, the office in charge of special operations maritime assets has one objective: access.
That’s how U.S. Navy Capt. Randy Slaff, program executive officer for U.S. Special Operation Command’s maritime technology unit, summed up the host of equipping needs for his team on Tuesday at the SOF Week conference.
Navigation tools, electric-powered fleet top of mind for special ops
TAMPA, Fla. — Special operations rotary-wing pilots need to be able to navigate without GPS, and the fleet itself is in need of electric-powered aircraft, according to the program executive officer for U.S. Special Operations Command’s rotary-wing assets.
Those features are not simply nice to have, but are necessities to keep these crucial platforms flying in contested environments, Geoff Downer said Tuesday at the SOF Week conference in Florida.
- SOCOM wants new industry pitches to connect autonomous tech Special ops turn to data, space tech to gain ‘decisive advantage’ New guns means new bullets, suppressors and tech for special ops SEALs want loitering munitions aboard insert/extract patrol boats
- What tech and gear to special ops troops want? A roundup from SOF Week
- Highlights: Service Members of the Year 2024 awards
- Are extreme-range sniper rifles coming to special operations?
- MH-6 Little Bird’s future and Special Operations Forces aviation updates
MORE FROM DEFENSE NEWS
https://www.defensenews.com/video/2024/05/10/sof-week-highlights-and-ai-drive n-fighter-jets-defense-news-weekly-full-episode-51124/
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Military Embedded Systems (Show Daily)DoD must be more agile to counter the rise of drones, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says - Military Embedded Systems
The rapid evolution and usage of inexpensive uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) and surface vessels (USVs) on the battlefield exposes a need for the U.S. Department of Defense and the defense industrial base to be more agile and able to field capabilities quicker, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during his keynote at SOF Week.
"If you think about the character of war and how it has changed, if you think about what we're seeing in Ukraine but also what we're seeing in the Middle East on one-way UASs as well as uncrewed surface vessels and everything else, I think SOF has a role," he said.
- Former U.K. defense minister to keynote SOF Week on global security and SOF future - Military Embedded Systems
- Spot, Boston Dynamics' dog-like robot, demos at SOF Week 2024 - Military Embedded Systems
- VAMPIRE located at L3Harris booth at SOF Week 2024 - Military Embedded Systems
- TALON 135 gyro-stabilized weapon platform on display at SOF Week 2024 - Military Embedded Systems
- Polaris eyes cold-weather military mission market
- Mobile command center Raven showcased by GDIT at SOF Week - Military Embedded Systems
- Modular drone detection system showcased by Arete at SOF Week
MORE at https://militaryembedded.com/topics/sofweek Shephard Media (Show Daily)
SOF capabilities demonstration returns to Tampa (video) | Shephard
Stu Bradin, President and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation, said the ‘Battle of the Bay’ demonstration, along with the exhibition and sessions throughout the week, would showcase some of the best technology available to SOF operators.
This year, SOF Week features an expanded exhibition hall, organised by USSOCOM PEO areas, with 767 exhibitors, six country pavilions and 20,000 visitors attending.
JFD showcases Shadow Seal TDV at SOF Week, eyes US market expansion | Shephard Cubic highlights real-time tactical radio language translation (video) | Shephard MORE at https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/special-operations/
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Fox 13 10 Tampa Bay- Special Operations Forces Week takes over Tampa
- 'Battle of the Bay' underway in Tampa as part of military showcase
- SOCOM holds military demonstration at Tampa Convention Center | wtsp.com Special Operations Forces Week takes over Tampa | wtsp.com
Battle of the Bay to take over downtown Tampa today
Tampa Bay TimesHear loud noises by Tampa Convention Center this week? Here’s what that is
The Tampa Post
“Quiet Professionals” from around the world are coming to Tampa Bay. It’s all about ‘Safety and Security.’
SOF Week Military Demonstration Returns to Tampa Convention Center
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2023 Media Coverage
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The US Marine Corps (USMC) has been seeking autonomous and robotic ground capabilities to be operated by its soldiers worldwide and will test the Rheinmetall Mission Master SP UGV. Speaking to Shephard, Louis Harnois, director of business development at Rheinmetall Canada, explained that the USMC has witnessed demonstrations of the system and will conduct trials with the vehicle this summer.
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L3Harris Technologies is showing its VAMPIRE [Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment] display and the WESCAM MX-8 EO/IR system integrated on Vanilla Unmanned’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) platform, as a way to highlight the multisensor operator experience, at this week's SOF Week 2023 show.
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The US government today approved a potential sale of 60 CH-47F Chinook helicopters and related equipment to Germany in a deal worth up to an eye-watering $8.5 billion.
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Ahead of delivery to U.S. partner Blue Tide Marine (BTM) for demonstration and training purposes, underwater capability provider JFD (Aberdeen, UK) unveiled its advanced fourman tactical diving platform, Shadow Seal (MK1D), showing a prototype model of the vehicle at the SOF Week convention.
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Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division introduced at the SOF Week show a new PacStar 400-Series tactical computing module – developed together with software developer REDCOM Laboratories – that aims at support of radio gateway services for modern and legacy radios.
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According to the Collins Aerospace announcement, the new OXYJUMP NG system uses the company's oxygen-pulse technology – already certified by one NATO country – to give users a smaller, lighter-weight option that automatically adjusts oxygen levels to enable longer mission profiles.
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The need to provide advanced solutions for dismounted soldiers has been pushing industry towards adding new capabilities to night vision optronics, with augmented reality (AR) playing a major role. AR can improve the situational awareness of soldiers and enhance protection by enabling faster target location and identification.
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Podcast
It's Special Operations Week in Tampa, as thousands of members of special forces and their families are taking part in conferences and other event downtown. Meaghan Keeler with the Global Special Operations Foundation says "Special Operations Forces Week" is expanding, with more events aimed at those in uniform and their families. Keeler says this year's events are expanding beyond the focus in previous years, which was aimed at businesses that wanted to do business with Special Operations Command.
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Podcast
On today’s program, Col. Stu Braden, USA Ret., the president and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation, discusses themes from this year’s SOF Week in Tampa including the renewed focus of the special operations community on great power conflict.
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Podcast
On this week’s Technology Report, retired Navy Captain Jason Salata, former spokesman for US Special Operations Command and the US Naval Special Warfare Command and now with the Provision Advisors public relations firm that oversees SOF Week’s media center, discusses key messages from US special operations leadership at this year’s gathering in Tampa, standout technologies from the show floor, and changes in the works for next year’s event to better connect companies with good ideas with program officials who can turn them into reality.
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