Special delivery: Maritime interdiction tech seeks to extend SOF reach

摘要

As commanders seek to execute tasks below the threshold of full conflict, it is critical for maritime special operations forces (SOF) to remain undetected before, during, and after a mission.General Richard D Clarke, head of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), told the Senate Armed Services Committee on 25 March that such considerations are the cornerstone for maritime SOF amid a struggle for influence between peer adversaries such as China, Russia, and the United States.Accordingly, Gen Clarke highlighted the "central" importance of modernisation efforts being rolled out by the US Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) and specifically the importance of "wet and dry submersibles, unmanned options, and offshore delivery solutions to provide coastal subsurface clandestine activities and access".