[PDF] Defining Critical Technologies For Special Operations eBook

Author : Major Lawrence W. McLaughlin
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 88 pages
File Size : 47,22 MB
Release : 2015-11-06
Category : History
ISBN : 1782899820

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As the military forces of the United States continue to draw down, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are playing a greater role across the entire spectrum of conflict. In order to maintain its relative advantage, SOF is using technology as a means to leverage limited resources—sometimes to the point that mission accomplishment depends critically on a technology’s availability. Adversaries will attempt to challenge our advantages. Whether Special Operations Forces are prepared to operate in a degraded environment could determine success or failure. This thesis examines the issue of critical technologies in special operations. Critical technologies are defined according to three variables—level of dependence, degree of vulnerability, and substitutability. By examining technologies against these three variables, SOF can gain a better understanding of the impact to SOF operations if a technical capability is lost. Three technologies are examined to illustrate the model—the use of Radar in the Battle of Britain, the Global Positioning System, and UHF Satellite Communications. By applying the model to actual cases, I hope to encourage SOF decision-makers to closely examine our growing reliance on vulnerable technologies as a force multiplier and provide recommendations to prevent undue reliance on those technologies.

Author : Lawrence W. McLaughlin
Publisher :
Page : 95 pages
File Size : 34,60 MB
Release : 1999
Category : Global Positioning System
ISBN :

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As the military forces of the United States continue to draw down, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are playing a greater role across the entire spectrum of conflict. In order to maintain its relative advantage, SOF is using technology as a means to leverage limited resources - sometimes to the point that mission accomplishment depends critically on a technology's availability. Adversaries will attempt to challenge our advantages. Whether Special Operations Forces are prepared to operate in a degraded environment could determine success or failure. This thesis examines the issue of critical technologies in special operations. Critical technologies are defined according to three variables - level of dependence, degree of vulnerability, and substitutability. By examining technologies against these three variables, SOF can gain a better understanding of the impact to SOF operations if a technical capability is lost. Three technologies are examined to illustrate the model - the use of Radar in the Battle of Britain, the Global Positioning System, and UHF Satellite Communications. By applying the model to actual cases, I hope to encourage SOF decision makers to closely examine our growing reliance on vulnerable technologies as a force multiplier and provide recommendations to prevent undue reliance on those technologies.

Author :
Publisher :
Page : 103 pages
File Size : 43,21 MB
Release : 1999-12-01
Category :
ISBN : 9781423540755

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As the military forces of the United States continue to draw down, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are playing a greater role across the entire spectrum of conflict. In order to maintain its relative advantage, SOF is using technology as a means to leverage limited resources - sometimes to the point that mission accomplishment depends critically on a technology's availability. Adversaries will attempt to challenge our advantages. Whether Special Operations Forces are prepared to operate in a degraded environment could determine success or failure. This thesis examines the issue of critical technologies in special operations. Critical technologies are defined according to three variables - level of dependence, degree of vulnerability, and substitutability. By examining technologies against these three variables, SOF can gain a better understanding of the impact to SOF operations if a technical capability is lost. Three technologies are examined to illustrate the model - the use of Radar in the Battle of Britain, the Global Positioning System, and UHF Satellite Communications. By applying the model to actual cases, I hope to encourage SOF decision makers to closely examine our growing reliance on vulnerable technologies as a force multiplier and provide recommendations to prevent undue reliance on those technologies.

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 27 pages
File Size : 21,82 MB
Release : 2009-09-29
Category : Technology & Engineering
ISBN : 0309146097

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Among its key responsibilities, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) plans and synchronizes operations against terrorist networks. At any given moment, SOF are likely to be engaged in some state of the planning or execution of special operations in many countries around the world, spanning a wide range of environments and mission. SOF therefore must be capable of operating in environments ranging from tropical jungle to arctic, maritime to desert, subterranean to mountainous, and rural to urban. Within this vast range additional factors may influence technical and operational requirements including weather, topography, bathymetry, geology, flora, fauna, and human population density. All of these factors must be weighed in terms of the challenges they pose to supporting communications and operational security. In short, SOF must maintain the capability to operate globally, in any environment, angainst any threats that can be countered by its unique capabilities. Sensing and Supporting Communications Capabilities for Special Operations Forces focuses primarily on the key core SOF task of special reconnaissance, to determine SOF-specific sensing and supporting communications needs and mapping them to existing and emerging technologies. The book discusses preliminary observations, issuees, and challenges, and identifies additional capabilities and technology areas that should be addressed.

Author :
Publisher :
Page : pages
File Size : 21,2 MB
Release :
Category :
ISBN :

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The authoritative word on special operations defining current and future SOF technologies.