Special Operations International September 2016

In the Gray Zone with SOCAFRICA September 2016 • Volume 14 • Issue 6

The most widely distributed special operations magazine in the world

Inside ...

This Issue Deep in the Gray Zone with SOCAFRICA Page 15

Small Boats, Big Missions Page 21

Tougher Tents Page 25

International Vector Brigadier General Dag Baehr Commander Kommando Spezialkräfte Germany

Q&A With

Major General Carl E. Mundy III Commander, U.S Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

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Special Operations International Features

15

Deep in the Gray Zone

21

Small Boats, Big Missions

25

Special Operations International recently had the chance to interview Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, SOCAFRICA command and talk about the challenges and opportunities of operating and capacity building and supporting Africa partners as they fight on the frontlines of the war against violent extremisms.

Maritime mobility is a critical aspect of special operations capabilities. According to the UN, half the world’s population lives within 60 kilometers of the sea, and three-quarters of all large cities are located on the coast. These are the littorals and their incredible important grows daily. The ability to maneuver from close off shore, and transition deep into inland waterways highlights the critical importance of specifically designed small boats and trained operators.

Dr. Alix Valenti

Tougher Tents

Putting a roof over an operator’s head for shelter, giving them a place to work or store things is critical in harsh environments. Tents and other soft-wall shelters are critical to expeditionary missions and often serve much longer. They come in a wide variety of sizes, from one-man tents to massive facility shelters. Increasingly, the military is seeking better performance, durability, ease of transport and set up and many other features.

By Henry Canaday

September 2016 • Volume 14 Issue 6

Table of Contents Departments

Cover/Q&A with Major General Carl E. Mundy III Commander U.S Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

2 5 28

BlackWatch People Resource Center

8

International Vector

Exclusive interview with: Brigadier General Dag Baehr Commander Kommando Spezialkräfte Germany

Special Operations International Bringing the international special operations community together recent senior leader interviews from the following countries

BlackWatch Combat Control School FTX

Rumbling down a dirt road in a Medium Tactical Vehicle cargo truck, a team of special operators quietly awaits for chaos to ensue.

The truck grinds to a halt in an intersection in the forest. It’s clear why in a second: a voice squawks over the radio that a roadside bomb rendered their truck useless.

As the group offloads, gunshots ring out, smoke bombs bounce into the circle of trainees and tear gas leaves the Airmen choking. The team surges through the disorder to return fire and take cover in the tree line.

The ground combat team was not in battle: they were combat control students, enduring their tactics field training exercise at the Combat Control School, August 3 at Camp Mackall, N.C. The FTX was a culmination of tactics learned in the first year of the CCT pipeline; which entails students weapons handling, team leader procedures, patrol base operations, troop leading and small unit tactics under fire in one mission.

“The Combat Control School curriculum is designed to overwhelm a combat control student’s senses—physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Major Trent Joy, commander of the 352nd Battlefield Airmen Training Squadron (BA TS). “We train the students to be resilient, to have fortitude and the ability to function in highstress environments to execute combat control missions around the globe.”

The CCS is the home of a 13-week course to provide CCT qualifications. The training includes physical training, small unit tactics, land navigation, communications, assault zones, demolitions, fire support and field operations including parachuting. At the completion of this course, each graduate is awarded the three-skill level, scarlet beret and CCT flash.

As reported by Senior Airman Ryan Conroy

NGA Mobile Training Team at AFSOC In early August, 14 students from Air Force Special Operations Command and the Army 2 | SPECOPS 14.6

learned to analyze geographic information to get a better image of battlefield operations during a geographic information systems course.

AFSOC hosted a Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems course offered by a mobile training team from the National GeospatialIntelligence Agency.

The course explains the software analysts use to create and manage geographic information, such as maps and charts, and helps decision makers better visualize battlefield operations and make more informed decisions.

Deployed teams within AFSOC frequently look for visual and geographic information on the battlefield.

“As an advisor, I deploy in small teams with limited resources,” said an Air Force operator who completed this course. “The knowledge I received from the GIS course will help me maximize my resources in providing intelligence support.”

Understanding the GIS and its capabilities also allows users to create their own maps and other geospatial products.

AFSOC is hosting future NGA MTT courses, which are open to military and civilian members of the U.S. Department of Defense.

As reported by Mike Raynor

Tactical Air Control Party HMMWVs Mods

iGov, provider of C4ISR systems and support programs, recently announced that the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) awarded them a $52.5 million delivery order to a previous contract to modify M1145 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. iGov will modify HMMWVs to provide tactical air control party users with embedded software and systems for critical voice, data and video

communications. The mobile communications system effort will allow joint terminal attack controllers to control close air support (CAS) aircraft from the safety of an armored vehicle while coordinating and conducting joint CAS missions. Work will be performed at iGov’s Tampa, Fla., facility and is expected to be complete by January 28, 2021 “We have been leveraging COTS and GOTS products to build and sustain tactical C4 systems for SOCOM and the Marine Corps since 2004,” said iGov president and chief operating officer Mike Tyrrell. “We are really excited and honored that we now get to work with the Air Force.”

“The Air Force Battle Management Directorate made it pretty clear that they desired a mature solution,” said Chuck Reiche, vice president of business development. “We reviewed and worked with several large OEMs to ensure our ability to leverage the right products to meet the government’s technical and business requirements. Our partnership with Harris Communication Systems was a critical element, as their radio and intercom products were absolutely the right components.”

China’s Special Forces Need to Extend Overseas Reach An article in the South China Morning Post described the need for China’s special forces to take a greater role in protecting national overseas interests, including energy sources and their supply lines, and play a bigger role in counterterrorism operations.

The special forces were gradually becoming the main military instrument to deal with security, a PLA Daily commentary said.

“The regions where we have a key stake are both geopolitically important and energy rich, and also are intersections of terrorism and foreign interference, full of uncertainties, risk and increasingly prominent security problems,” it said.

With strength in “detection, combat and assessment,” the units could play a key role in safeguarding the country’s overseas interests, the commentary said.

China established the special forces within the People’s Liberation Army and paramilitary in the 1980s as it sought to adjust to modern hi-tech warfare. The officers are selectively picked, trained and equipped.

Some units have taken part in overseas missions, such as the navy’s escort mission in the Gulf of Aden starting in 2008. “So far in www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

peacetime they have been more focused on domestic security and anti-terrorism tasks,” Li Wei, an anti-terrorism expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said.

The PLA Daily commentary said special forces should cooperate more with other forces in anti-piracy missions to ensure transport lines vital to China’s trade and energy were protected.

“The regular use of special forces requires focusing our limited resources on protecting the country’s significant core interests,” the commentary said. It added the special forces should also take on operations involving hijackings and hostage rescue.

AFSOC’s New MC-130Js

On August 11, a U.S. Air Force crew accepted delivery of an MC-130J Commando II at the Lockheed Martin Marietta, Ga., facility.

This MC-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport/special operations tanker is assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. As it replaces legacy MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft, the MC-130J provides AFSOC with a modern aircraft capable of worldwide employment for missions requiring clandestine single- or multi-ship, low-level aerial refueling of special operation force vertical and tilt-rotor aircraft; and/or infiltration, resupply and exfiltration by airdrop or landing on remote airfields

USSOCOM Seeks Lightweight Multispectral Binocular Observation System In mid-August USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla., announced that it was looking for companies with the capabilities and facilities to provide commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), non-developmental item (NDI), or near NDI lightweight multispectral binocular observation system.

USSOCOM intends to apply for approval of a Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) project to evaluate candidate systems. USSOCOM is www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

interested in contracting with vendors who are currently using the most advanced technologies in the lightweight handheld multispectral capability that will provide day and night capabilities.

As part of the application process for FCT, the government is required to do the appropriate market research to ensure that all worthy products are considered prior to starting a project. If approval is granted, a synopsis will be posted publicizing the government’s intent to initiate this FCT project on a full and open competitive basis with the intent to also procure and field up to 175 systems to meet military operational needs dependent on the results of testing. If the responses to that synopsis reveal that one or more companies responding to the synopsis appear to meet or exceed the requirements a formal request for proposal will be issued to those companies and include requirements for testing. Further, based on the results of testing and provided the technology proves suitable, the solicitation will also include the selection criteria for award and the conditions for proceeding into production. Vendors must have adequate fabrication and test facilities to warrant pre-production testing and limited procurement of multispectral observation system. Responses are requested of those suppliers who can provide a working hardware system ready for test and demonstration purposes on or about November 1, 2016.

Ugandan Special Forces Commander Visits Troops in Somalia

The Commander of the Uganda Special Forces Command (SFC), Major General Muhoozi Kaneirugaba (left in photo), recently commended the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for supporting Somali security forces in fighting Al-Shabaab militants in the country.

Kaneirugaba particularly singled out Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) soldiers for praise, saying their courage and dedication has enabled AMISOM execute its mandate of stabilizing Somalia.

Commenting on Al-Shabaab’s retreat from major towns, Kaneirugaba hailed Ugandan troops for the role they played in pushing the militants out of Mogadishu and urged them to continue collaborating with other security forces in liberating Somalia from terrorists.

The Uganda Battle Group 18 commander, Colonel Ronald Bigirwa, who represented the Uganda contingent commander, Brigadier Sam Okiding, briefed Kaneirugaba on the current security situation in Somalia, which he noted had improved.

SFC is a specialized component of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), which apart from offering protection for the President, is tasked with carrying out special missions in support of the country’s national military objectives.

Nellis Plans to Enhance Close Air Support Training Integration

Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base plans to restructure the 57th Operations Group to enhance its focus on close air support integration.

The group’s mission will include high-end fight training as well as an increased emphasis on tactical-level close air support with experts to integrate fires in joint operations, advancing the joint CAS enterprise and preserving the Air Force’s CAS culture.

“CAS is one of the most important jobs we have, and over the past 15 years we’ve developed exceptional capabilities and expertise in this mission area,” said General Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command. “The changes we’re making at Nellis are an important step in refining our CAS skills through future generations of airmen so we can continue to provide ground forces with all the advantages airpower brings to close combat.”

In March 2015, ACC hosted a Future Close Air Support Focus Week, which brought together joint experts and leaders to assess the current state of the CAS mission, discuss SPECOPS 14.6 | 3

BlackWatch future challenges and requirements, and determine items for further study to ensure the effectiveness of this critical mission.

One of the recommendations from the forum included standing up a CAS-dedicated organization to help preserve what has been a highly effective CAS culture and help meet the close air support challenges of tomorrow.

The Air Force intends for the 57th OG to include the CAS-dedicated organization with a tactical air support squadron, which would provide dedicated air support to the Joint Terminal Attack Controller Qualification Course, USAF Weapons School, and Green Flag and Red Flag exercises capitalizing on the existing CAS expertise and schoolhouses currently at Nellis AFB. The tactical air support squadron would initially consist of eight permanent F-16 Fighting Falcons to be relocated from Hill AFB, Utah, with potential for expansion to a total of 16 at full operational capability. In addition to the newly assigned F-16s, the 57th OG will also leverage geographically separated contract light aircraft as cost-effective augmentation to enhance JTAC training with Air Force fighter aircraft.

RPA Pilots Receive Bump in Bonus Pay

On August 10, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced an increase to the service’s remotely piloted aircraft pilot bonus in a multi-pronged approach to increase RPA manning and incentivize RPA pilots within a community that has operated at surge capacity for more than 10 years.

As part of the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s RPA “Get Well” plan, RPA pilots who have completed their initial active-duty service commitment from training starting in fiscal year 2016 will be eligible to receive a bonus of $35,000 per year, $10,000 more than the current bonus, in exchange 4 | SPECOPS 14.6

for an additional active-duty service commitment.

RPA pilots who previously accepted a bonus will also be eligible for the increase in exchange for an additional year on their service commitment.

“The Air Force recognizes the important contribution RPA pilots make every day, and retaining these valued aviators to execute our current operations and shape the future is critical,” said Air Force Chief of Staff General David. L. Goldfein. “While we applaud this effort, we recognize we have similar challenges across our entire pilot force, and we’d like the opportunity to offer higher retention bonuses for all our pilots.”

Currently, the Air Force is seeking legislation to fund an increase in aviation retention pay above the current limit of $25,000 per year for all pilots. This pay has not changed since 1999.

As reported by Technical Sergeant Bryan Franks

STTS Personal Equipment Kits Air Force Special Operations Command has issued an announcement representing one solicitation which will result in one definite quantity award for providing Special Tactics Personal Equipment Management System (ST PEMS) Kits for the Special Tactics Training Squadron.

A total of 238 kits will be delivered during the performance of this contract. (190 Initial issue kits, 24 pararescue training kits, 24 pararescue operations kits) The objective of ST-PEMS is to maximize enterprise equipment readiness and preserve agility to pace dynamic mission requirements.

The portfolio of “ST Baseline” equipment will consist of approximately 125 manufacturerspecific items, ordered in a kitted configuration. The PJ Addendum portfolios will consist of approximately 25 manufacturer-specific items, ordered in a kitted configuration.

Puma Expands Operations Envelope AeroVironment, Inc. recently announced the United States Navy has tested and deployed the RQ-20B Puma small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) aboard a Flight I guided missile destroyer. Some of these exercises included the use of AeroVironment’s fully

autonomous system to recover the aircraft aboard a ship. The U.S. Navy issued a report on August 3 from the Arabian Gulf describing how Puma AE is also being utilized on Navy patrol craft.

Following completion of a Puma AE intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission, the AeroVironment Precision Recovery System provides for the autonomous on-board recovery of the aircraft, without interrupting the ship’s operations.

Because the Puma AE is also designed to land and float in water, operators can choose to recover it from the ocean, should mission requirements dictate.

Ruggedized iPad Cases Modified to Accept Night Vision Filter Under a contemplated contract, Cevians is expected to provide 1,722 Otterbox Defender Series ruggedized protective cases for iPad Pro 9.7 tablet computers modified to accept slide-in style NVG filters. Requirements of the case are provided below: ruggedized, full body iPad Pro 9.7 case including cover; and capable of allowing the user to install and remove an NVD compatible filter in less than 10 seconds without any disassembly of the case.

Air Force Contracts for Wideband Anti-Jam Communications Solutions Three companies have been awarded Air Force cost-plus-incentive-fee contracts for protected tactical service field demonstration (PTSFD). PTSFD will demonstrate the ability to provide wideband anti-jam communications to tactical users using the wideband global satellite communications (SATCOM) constellation and commercial SATCOM. The three companies are: Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems, Marlborough, Mass., ($39.9 million), L-3 Communication Systems - West, Salt Lake City, Utah, ($38.1 million) and ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, Calif., $33.3 million).

Wearable Biomechanical Performance Analysis System Naval Special Warfare Group 4-Special Boat Team Twenty requires the DorsaVi www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

movement analysis system. The system will be utilized for rehabilitation and injury prevention of command SEAL/SWCC operators within the NSW Tactical Athlete Program.

The DorsaVi is a unique wireless sensor technology that tracks how operator’s move in real time. The ViPerform system consists of wearable motion and muscle activity sensors that record data at 200 frames per second and intuitive software with sophisticated algorithms that turn robust data into easy-to-read and meaningful results. The DorsaVi will change how rehab clinicians and strength coaches evaluate, screen, and assess operators.

USSOCOM Aviation Support Berry Aviation, San Marcos, Texas, has been awarded a $29 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price

contract and resulting task order in support of U.S. Special Operations Command. The services to be provided are passenger, cargo, combined passenger and cargo, aeromedical evacuation, and short take-off and landing air transportation services within the Central Command area of responsibility. The period of performance is September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017.

AFSOC Seeks OPFOR Robots The 27th Special Operations Contracting Squadron located at Cannon Air Force, N.M., is seeking sources interested in a possible award to provide robotic human-type targets for Cannon AFB, NM. They have identified a need to evaluate the feasibility of employing realistic robotic opposing force targets that can withstand live munitions on the rugged terrain of the Melrose Air Force Range (MAFR). This requirement is for a

one-year lease of four robots with four quarterly visits to MAFR to provide preventative maintenance, repairs or upgrades. The robots must be able to: self-navigate wide areas of terrain or within simulated urban environments via shared LIDAR or RADAR mapping; share mapping data to a common server which able to be downloaded to store subsequent training profiles; execute safety parameters to avoid striking a human, vehicle, or building; move at speeds up to 10 MPH; provide audible (spoken, yelled, simulated) words, sentences, and sounds; provide instant feedback when struck by falling or stopping (or both); send wireless commands to other robots in a given scenario; be programmable real-time or preset via a common linked wireless network; operate for a minimum of two hours, and recharge within three hours; withstand rainy conditions; take direct hits from small arms calibers up to .338 Lapua; distinguish between body hits and killshots. 

PEOPLE

On August 3, Rear Admiral Tim Szymanski (left in photo) relieved Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey (right in photo) as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command (CNSWC) during a change of command ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Calif.

General Raymond Thomas, commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, was the guest speaker for the ceremony.

www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Eric D. Neilsen, currently assigned to Joint Special Operations Air Component Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, has been selected as the command senior enlisted leader for NATO Special Operations Forces at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Mons, Belgium.

Navy Captain Frank D. Whitworth III has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half).

Whitworth is currently serving as director, J2, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

On July 11, Lieutenant General Brad Heithold (left in photo), then commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, passed the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center guidon to Colonel Nathan Green (right in photo), AFSOAWC commander, during a change of command ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Army Command Sergeant Major David J. Blake has been selected to replace

Army Command Sergeant Major Jeffrey W. Wright, currently assigned as the command senior enlisted leader for Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Major General Stephen A. Clark, director, Force Structure, Requirements, Resources and Strategic Assessments, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill

Air Force Base, Fla., has been assigned as director, Strategic Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. On August 5, Captain Steven Renly relieved Captain Roger Meek as commander, Naval Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 11 during a change of command ceremony at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif.

In early August, Air Force officials announced the selections for the service’s top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2016.

Among those named was Master Sergeant Marcus A. Mader, Air Force Special Operations Command.

Winning this year’s Galileo Award along with two others was USSOCOM’s intelligence officer Bryon Mushrush. A member of USSOCOM for about a year, he is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College School of Advanced Military Studies.

The Galileo Award competition is an annual program designed to promote excellence in the intelligence community by encouraging innovative ideas to help shape the future of U.S. intelligence.

SPECOPS 14.6 | 5

Q&A Major General Carl E. Mundy III received a commission after graduating from Auburn University in August 1983. An infantry officer, he has commanded at the platoon, company, battalion, Marine expeditionary unit and Marine expeditionary brigade levels. Prior to his current assignment he served as both the commanding general of 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and the commander of Task Force 51 located in Bahrain.

He deployed twice to Iraq, first as a battalion commander and later as a Marine expeditionary unit commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He has also served in several staff and training assignments beginning with the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C.; The Basic School in Quantico, Va.; the I Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters at Camp Pendleton, Calif.; the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs; the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization in Washington D.C.; HQMC in Washington D.C; U.S. Central Command in Tampa. Fla.; and as the deputy commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton.

Between these assignments he attended the United States Army Armor Officer Advanced Course and Cavalry Leaders Course at Fort Knox, Ky.; the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting at Quantico; the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va.; and he studied foreign policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit with a “V” device; Bronze Star; and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Q: Supporting AFRICOM, CENTCOM and PACOM with Marine special operations companies is a mainstay of your current organization.

Three questions: first, tell me about how you rotate your Raiders through the deployments, home state, training, rebuild, etc. Does your current size allow you to maintain this pace for an extended period of time?

Mundy: We sustain a persistent Marine Raider presence in each of those theaters. Units conduct predeployment training in CONUS with the theater requirements in mind and are then rotated into each theater to replace the units currently on station. Though faced with the normal challenges of a high-octane organization, we currently have the capacity to sustain this pace.

Q: Second, have any other TSOCs wanted you to join them in a similar way—EUCOM, SOUTHCOM? Mundy: MARSOC’s size limits our capacity and does not allow us to support the other theaters in the same manner.

Q: Third, with a MSOC deployed, is that the entire MARSOC footprint is are there MARSOC support elements that deploy alongside the company?

Mundy: MARSOC maintains a persistently forward deployed reinforced Marine special operations company (MSOC) in each of these three regions.

These reinforced MSOCs can execute the full spectrum of special operations.

While each deployed MSOC is task organized according to theater requirements, they share common characteristics. Each reinforced MSOC 6 | SPECOPS 14.6

Major General Carl E. Mundy III

Commander U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command

combines a healthy mix of combat, combat support and combat service Marines and sailors into a cohesive team. The MSOC can then be employed as a single entity, as separate Marine special operations teams (MSOT) or in even smaller elements, depending on mission requirements.

Q: How important are foreign language skills to your operators. Have you increased emphasis on building language skills within the Marine special operations companies?

Mundy: MARSOC’s language program has evolved to meet the needs of the operational units. Since the regionalization of MARSOC in 2014, our language program has aligned to the language requirements of the deploying units, beginning when critical skills operators (CSO) successfully complete the Individual Training Course (ITC). All CSOs remain at MSOS for the 24-week Basic Language Course (BLC) where they are taught one of the required languages. MARSOC’s language program exists solely to support our operational www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

needs. The ability to communicate with a partner force while deployed not only strengthens that relationship but allows our teams to operate and train in the native language.

Language capability only grows as each CSO graduates from BLC and moves directly to a Marine special operations company. We fill the MSOCs with new CSOs who can speak the required languages and we sustain those skills within each small unit.

Marine Raider Battalions (MRB) run their own sustainment training program for their targeted languages to ensure that each CSO’s language skill is maintained or improved. Currently, all MSOCs conduct language sustainment training as part of their pre-deployment training phases.

Q: Related to TSOCs, do you have an officer at the command level within each TSOC? How is coordination handled and how does MARSOC senior command liaison with the TSOC command elements?

Mundy: MARSOC maintains liaison officers at SOCAF, SOCCENT and SOCPAC. The Marine Corps has also made a concerted effort to assign senior Marine officers with MARSOC experience to the staffs of those same TSOCs. We’ve nurtured a healthy dialogue with each TSOC, which allows us to stay in tune with their unique requirements.

Q: With a persistent forward deployed and engaged presence, would MARSOC benefit by having its own dedicated civil affairs elements?

Mundy: Our structure limits what we can invest in. Fortunately, we are able to rely on the SOCOM enterprise for civil affairs support when the mission requires.

Q: When planning a capacity building mission, walk me through the initial planning phase from early determination that a capacity building mission is requested or warranted, through planning what elements will be included in the training through to a mission completion exercise or event.

Mundy: MARSOC uses the TSOC requirements as the basis for our mission analysis. That mission analysis allows us to task organize each reinforced MSOC with the right balance of combat, combat support and combat service Marines and sailors. The task organized MSOC (rein) is formed 180 days prior to deployment and spends six months conducting a focused unit predeployment training schedule in preparation for execution. This six-month period includes an extensive 10-day exercise that includes the full spectrum of SOF unit skills.

Q: Earlier this year MARSOC had their first female Marines apply to be a part of MARSOC. From an administrative and organization perspective, is everything in place to move female candidates all the way through the pipeline? Can you bring us up to date the female candidates to date?

Mundy: We are certainly ready both administratively and organizationally to train female Marines who volunteer for service at MARSOC as special operators. Our pipeline required very little change in order to comply with HQMC and SOCOM guidance on the matter. An assessment and selection cycle began in mid-August where two female candidates reported and began training with their male counterparts without incident.

All candidates are given a fitness guide to prepare themselves for the training events conducted in Phase I of our Assessment and Selection process. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Regardless of gender, candidate performance during Phase I determines whether they have the mental and physical qualifications to move on to Phase II and completion of A&S. Q: How do you go about making sure that someone who is a good Marine Corps special operator also has the skills to teach those skills in a capacity building environment?

Mundy: The reinforced MSOC predeployment training plan includes a large emphasis on partner nation training. Several exercises include role players who act as partner nation forces, adding realism and challenge to the training.

The curriculum of the Individual Training Course focuses on making an entry level CSO “brilliant in the basics” in small unit tactics. These abilities are put to the test during the culminating exercise, “Derna Bridge,” whereby ITC students work alongside a partner nation force comprised of role players. Often times, this requires the ITC students to train the partner nation force in the skills that will be required to successfully accomplish the mission.

In turn, these new CSOs understand the complexity of teaching others to build partner capacity, ultimately enabling other countries to carry more of the burden for military operations and the challenges that we all face.

Other advanced courses taught at MSOS that are attended by more seasoned CSOs focus not only on the graduate’s proficiency in the skill but his/ her ability to teach it to others as well. This process ingrains a security force assistance mindset in each CSO. Q: How involved is MARSOC with outsourcing some of its training— driving, marksmanship, casualty care, for example, to industrial partners. What are the advantages—and/or limitations—to using nonorganic training assets?

Mundy: MARSOC conducts a large variety of training and much of this training can be conducted on base and at our own facilities. However, some specialized training requires different environments or assistance from subject matter experts outside the command.

We are lucky to have that ability to reach outside the command for assistance when we require it.

Q: Tell me about Gifford Hall, the Marine Special Operations School. One thing I saw in its taskings is to, in coordination with other elements, develop and introduce TTPs. Does the school have its own futures cell that is charged with looking forward beyond today’s operations and tomorrow expected domain, and see where MARSOC should move to match anticipated environments?

Mundy: The Marine Special Operations School is continually adapting the instruction of tactics, techniques and procedures based on the realities of the current battlefield and anticipated requirements to stay ahead of the enemy. They achieve this by an iterative and evolving training and education system combined with our operators' recent and relevant experiences in our assigned geographic areas.

Although the Marine Special Operations School's structure does not incorporate a formal futures cell in the sense you asked in your question, the component staff has a section which is charged with developing MARSOC future capabilities in conjunction with all three subordinate commands and the other component staff sections to achieve a cross-functional approach.

This effort helps form our approach to the future operating environment, but also helps feed the implementation of near and mid-term capability development.  SPECOPS 14.6 | 7

International Vector An Exclusive Special Operations International Q&A with

Brigadier General Dag Baehr Commander Kommando Spezialkräfte Germany

Q: What is the KSK’s role within the German military and security force structure? Is your mission international? Is it domestic, a combination?

Baehr: The KSK’s role is defined fairly straight forward but it has to be seen in context. The reason for the existence of German military special forces was event driven. Usually, if you establish a (SOF) unit or command you start top down, translating national security policy in military capabilities, ending by defining mission, roles, tasks for the organization you want to establish and this will identify the capabilities required.

The GSG 9 is the other special mission unit in Germany, and like KSK its beginnings were event driven. The incident that triggered the establishment of GSG 9 was the hostage taking during the 1972 Munich Olympics when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage. The operation to rescue the hostages ended in a total fiasco. Immediately afterwards, the German government decided that it needed to have a capability to counter terrorism and to handle hostage rescue operations—therefore GSG 9 was established.

Similarly, an event in 1994 drove the establishment of KSK. There was a small Deutsche Welle radio station a few kilometers outside of Kigali, Rwanda. Due to the violent unrest in the country several nations evacuated their citizens through Kigali airport, supported by French and Belgian troops. The German employees of the radio station were unable to cover the distance to the airport on their own without the danger of getting abducted by one of the conflict parties and required assistance.

The German government investigated whether it had police or military capabilities to take care of this and both police and military reported being unable to conduct the required operation in time. In the end, Germany had to ask for the assistance of Belgian Para Commandos in escorting our citizens to the airport. That was quite an embarrassment and triggered the decision to establish a military unit capable of performing these operations as well as more prominently hostage rescue and counter terrorism (CT) operations.

8 | SPECOPS 14.6

With the political decision made, the Minister of Defence at that time allocated 42 million Deutsche Mark to the Army Chief with the task to establish a special mission unit. In the end this unit became the Kommando Spezialkräfte – KSK. So by its history the KSK started as an army unit, with a regimental structure similar to the British 22 SAS Regiment which was used as a blueprint for structure and capabilities (in fact 22 SAS had a great impact from the start as they provided initial training in hostage rescue and CT technics and tactics through various training venues).

Evolution over the last 10 years migrated the KSK from unit to command but it still belongs ADCON to the Army and remnants of the old regimental structure have been noticeable until recent structural updates. Although being an Army command, the KSK has to be considered a domain command—we have a joint mission set and conduct full spectrum special operations for the whole German Armed Forces across all phases of the F3EAD-cycle (find, fix, finish, exploit analyze and disseminate), including intelligence operations and exploitation activities. The capabilities for hostage rescue operations and counter terrorism are permanently provided with highest readiness and beyond the military on a national, i.e. interagency level, this qualifies the KSK as the only German national special mission capability for non-domestic crisis reaction.

Having started my answer by referring to the GSG 9 I may delineate the GSG 9 and the KSK by mentioning that the GSG 9 is a police unit which provides a “finish” capability on high level—for domestic hostage rescue and CT. Without going into too much detail the difference boils down to the German legal framework which sees the GSG 9 in domestic and the KSK in non-domestic missions. The other fundamental differences are size—the KSK is a command, GSG 9 a unit—and the relation to intelligence: the GSG 9 as police and by capability is a consumer and the KSK is both consumer as well as a producer of intelligence. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Q: Does the German senior military leadership and the political leadership understand the capabilities of special forces and what they can and cannot do?

Baehr: Does the military leadership have a basic understanding of what special forces do and what they require? Yes, but this is spoiled or mislead by a certain perspective on special operations.

Over the last 10 to 15 years many of today’s general officers became educated mainly by their deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan: a lot of operations in those theatres would be either special operations driven, special operations supported, or would have special operations/SOF as mission critical enablers. This holds true for key leadership of the German Armed Forces as well; many went through a number of deployments in Afghanistan – to include the Army Chief as a former commander of a regional command or our CHOD who has been the Chief of Staff for ISAF HQ. As a result, they have understanding of special operations in a way that I would call Afghanisized: it is foremost COIN-centric and also focused on a relationship in which the conventional forces are the battle space owner and SOF often being regarded as an intrusion and nuisance. In a nutshell: the military leadership has a good understanding within the perspective of the conflicts of the last 15 years, but we need to up the ante by turning our sights onto future conflicts and their SOF-related requirements to calibrate the necessary leadership knowledge.

In addition to military responsibilities we cover a large part of interagency work and relations. Out of necessity, frequent operations and exercises especially our Foreign Office and its leadership developed a good understanding of special forces and their capabilities which equals a complete shift in paradigm: from SOF and the military in general being seen as the failure of diplomacy to achieving status as the go-to-guys

and problem solvers. Our inter-ministerial permanent crisis staff requests our advice and support on a regular basis, which is a clear indicator of not only being value added but accepted and understood.

Naturally, the political establishment has to be viewed in a different way, but I am not stepping out of my line to comment on this.

Q: What are the challenges to maintain the size force you have?

Baehr: This includes two questions: retention and recruiting. Our retention rate is very good; we still have a lot of operators which joined the command more than ten years ago. But to be very honest: this is to some part sheer luck and also the result of being the benefactor of overall developments in the German Armed Forces. It still is much more attractive to stay within the special operations community than to leave and pursue a career in the general purpose forces. To my assessment the potential

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The concept of dedicated aviation support or special operations aviafor creating incentives which would enable us to maintain our excellent tion for the KSK is including both fixed and rotary wing capabilities. retention rate remains almost untouched until now.

There is a dedicated fixed wing squadron of C-160 which supports exRecruiting and training special operators for the KSK had been a chalclusively special operations if required. This old workhorse will be replaced lenge right from the start. 20 years ago the German Armed Forces still used by the A400M, this process has already started but is hampered by the the draft, so the KSK as a professional unit had to be established within an general difficulties related to the procurement of the A400M. Army of conscripts. By legal status the recruiting population thereby was The rotary wing support is provided by the German Air Force Helicopter reduced to those soldiers with the minimum rank of sergeant which left us Wing 64 which is located in a base 30 flight minutes away from the KSK’s targeting squad and platoon leaders especially in the infantry as potential home base. We established a new squadron in operators. We train KSK operators like we build this wing that itself will be SOF and it is this cars in Germany—thorough and with the quest After 20 years, you get a squadron which will fly the H145M helicopters for perfection—so it takes two years to graduate little bit uneasy because we just acquired. The sole reason for the from basic training and get badged, followed by existence of this squadron is special operations specialization for another year. it’s sometimes a painfully aviation so you may call this dedicated support.

In combination with the initial recruiting situslow process but as long as The squadron will have 15 of those helicopters ation this almost proved to be recipe for failure in you keep moving towards which to our calculation are enough for supportestablishing and sustaining the KSK in the early ing our command and sustain flight operations years. We escaped disaster and solved the probyour target structure at any given time. The first eight helicopters are lem to a large extent by developing an additional everything is fine. already flying with the rest being handed over recruiting system by which we recruit non-servin succession until mid-2017. We start flying the ing volunteers for the infantry, mainly airborne helicopter in direct support to the KSK in joint trainings by the end of this units, and have them mandatory participating in assessment and selection year. Right now the crew training is receiving its finishing touches. for the KSK after three years of service and passing the sergeants exams.

Then of course we do integrated team training, which means the airIn combination with the German Armed Forces changing to an all-volunteer crew is going to train permanently with the KSK, thereby becoming special system in 2011 our recruiting situation is stable and we keep growing slow operations aviators. A popular saying which I learned from the U.S. commuand steady, although we still have to meet our targeted force manning nity expresses it all: there is one thing which makes an aircraft special and level. After 20 years, you may get a bit uneasy because it’s sometimes a that is its crew! We come to really believe in this. painfully slow process but as long as you keep moving towards your target There is a synergy with the A400M and the H145M. One of the reasons structure everything is fine and I am pretty optimistic—which is supported why we selected the H145M for procurement is the fact that two of these by a study we did on that issue. helicopters can be lifted by the A400M, taking only a couple of hours after offloading to get it operational again. So we explicitly included the strategic Q: Earlier this year KSK acquired its own helicopters. Is KSK looking to lift capability for the helicopter to develop flexibility and to shorten times develop an organic aviation capability? for projection in crisis reaction.

Of course the combination of H145M and the A400M cannot fulfill every Baehr: I may answer the question by rephrasing it a bit: we are looking aviation requirement by the KSK—you need a medium to heavy lift rotary not for organic but for a dedicated aviation capability. This has been one wing capability with a long range, the ability to self-deploy and enough of the greatest deficiencies over more than a decade, not the missing of playtime during operations to loiter and react. Until now this capability has aviation support in general but the missing of a dedicated and SOF-only been provided by the same helicopter group using the CH-53 with a number support. There is a huge difference between aviation support which has of dedicated, special operations capable air crews. to considered special operations capable and aviation which itself is SOF. In the foreseeable future this helicopter will be replaced by a military Over the last couple of years, we have been working on this and it’s getting off-the-shelf helicopter, you may expect the CH-47 and the CH-53K being better and better by the year.

Brigadier General Dag Baehr was commissioned into the German Mountain Infantry Battalion 231 in 10 | SPECOPS 14.6

1985. Being a certified mountain guide he went through appointments on battalion level commanding the high alpine and mountaineering platoon as well as a mountain infantry company.

In late 1995 Baehr qualified in an early assessment and selection course for the then still to be established German Special Forces Command KSK and on completion of training became one of the first troop commanders in the young German Special Forces. After various appointments in Special Forces Command and first deployments he

was selected to the German General Staff Course at German Armed Forces Command and Staff College.

On graduation in 2001 Baehr served as G3 ops, division specialized operations. During this assignment he deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, being J3 and deputy commanding officer of the German Special Forces Task Group attached to Task Force K-BAR and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan.

In 2002 this was followed by an assignment as J5 CJSOTFAFGHANISTAN.

In 2003 he was posted to the Armed Forces Staff, Ministry of Defence (MOD), serving as operations staff officer and special operations adviser to the chief of defence and the director operations. Being the projects officer he became instrumental in the establishment of a Special Forces Directorate in the MOD as well as a Joint Special Operations Command. During this tour Baehr was involved with several hostage affairs and deployed to Southern America, Africa and other undisclosed locations. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

the prime candidates for this move. Once this is officially decided we will pursue a similar approach like the H145M squadron, dedicating a number of platforms for special operations aviation.

Additional aviation support may be provided by the army aviation which flies the NH 90 helicopter. We will procure mission specific equipment packages to use this helicopter for special operations but the provision of dedicated air crews will remain the critical issue which needs to be resolved by the army aviation. But I see this as just as an additional option, the key support responsibility will remain within the Air Force.

I may come back to the wording “organic” support and add a couple of remarks with regard to command and control (C2) of our special operations aviation and C2 in general.

Organic to me means ownership and the self-sustaining ownership of special operations aviation to include administration, maintenance and logistics is out of the question (and proportion) for the KSK. The level of resources, technical support and administrative effort which would be required to sustain airframes in a (German) peacetime environment goes beyond the limits of a small command like the KSK. Indeed we are benefactors from a very powerful system the German air force has established and which works very well. As long as the special operations aviation elements will be attached for operational requirements to the KSK and forces to be deployed, translating into OPCON or OPCOM for the relevant deployment, training or exercise, I am OK with this arrangement.

From a more general perspective SOF C2 has always been a subject for discussion for the last 15 years, at least from a European perspective. Sometimes I came to belief that nations would try to follow suit for a single, blueprint-like solution to the challenge of organizing SOF from a national perspective. One could get the impression that only if you establish a national SOCOM which reports directly to the political and military leadership you would do things well. In reality it is much more diverse—and difficult.

To my observation there are three factors which may impact your national C2 for SOF. Most prominently it is answering the question if your national military SOF has a domestic tasking and how this translates into the need for a specific C2. Secondly, your national budgeting system plays an important role: how do you resource your SOF commands and units, will they receive an independent budget or do they have to go through the services or other institutions. This leads to the third factor, the size of your national SOF organization. Is it justified to command operational forces of one to four squadrons by a SOCOM which is 100 personnel strong? This includes the question how you sustain such a

In 2004 he assumed command of the Special Forces Regiment of the KSK, thereby being the first badged Special Forces officer to do so. Whilst being in command he deployed numerous times under Operations Enduring Freedom and ISAF, commanding special forces task groups and task forces in southeastern, central and northern Afghanistan.

On leaving command in 2007 he served as the Section Head Plans and Policy for the Special Operations Office, Supreme Headquarters of Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE) www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

and under collocation with the implementation team became involved in the establishment of the entity that became the NATO SOF Headquarters. Under cross-assignment to the Federal Intelligence Agency Brigadier he deployed to Iraq and other undisclosed locations to resolve numerous hostage affairs.

By mid-2008 he was appointed executive officer to the German Army Chief and returned to the MOD. Baehr assumed his next appointment as division head, J5 Division and Plans Coordinator Deployable Joint Staff Element, NATO

C2 with qualified personnel if your overall size is comparably small. If you fill this C2 with people from outside the SOF population you create legitimacy issues which you also want to avoid.

I would see one simple baseline for SOF organizations: special operations have to be commanded by SOF; they have to be planned and executed in a flat C2 which gives you access to the political and military leadership if required. How you realize this may have many different flavors and colors.

Q: Will the A400Ms have—other than aircrew training—have any modifications to make them more capable of special operation type missions? For example, in the U.S., there’s the 437th, which has a SOLO II capability for the C-17 which have air crews and slight modifications in the aircraft to make them suitable for entry type missions.

Baehr: I don’t want to get too much into this but that indeed is the intent. However, the whole project of procuring the A400M by a number of European nations is overloaded with difficulties. If I would be stubborn and say, “what about our project of having specific capabilities attributed to a number of A400Ms” I could easily be seen as somebody who’s adding to the difficulties and further slowing down. We’re going to re-address those things once the A400M is back on track.

Q: Let’s stay with procurement for just a little bit if we could. Do you have a priority of list of acquisition or major acquisition type programs that you feel are necessary to give your force the tactical advantage?

Force Command Heidelberg in June 2009, fulfilling a key role in the implementation of the DJSE concept and the transformation of the Allied Land Component Command Heidelberg into a NATO Force Command. During this time he deployed to Afghanistan, serving as the personal NATO Special Forces Adviser and NSHQ liaison officer to COM ISAF, General Stan McChrystal. This deployment was cut short due to the immediate assumption of the assignment as head of the Land Operations and Afghanistan Division in the Joint Operations Staff, MOD in August 2010.

Out of this assignment Baehr was selected in 2011 to become the senior military adviser and military assistant to the German president.

After serving two presidents (due to the change of presidency) he assumed command of the Special Forces Command KSK on 27 March 2013, thereby being the first badged Special Forces officer to do so in the 17 year history of the command.

Baehr holds a Diploma in Political Science from the German Armed Forces University in Munich and a MA in Philosophy from the LudwigMaximilians-University in Munich.

SPECOPS 14.6 | 11

Baehr: The priority list is fairly simple: soldier systems, mobility, night vision and communications. Communications has to be seen more of a conceptual challenge than just a procurement issue. Starting in Afghanistan 15 years ago we happen to live in a community which is somewhat dependent on the U.S. to maintain interoperability.

Until OEF in 2001 a lot of European nations never have seen a PRC 117 radio. This was the first exposure to tactical satellite communications for the most of us, the majority living with cold war style technical capabilities using HF radios. All of a sudden the operators would be asked by their U.S. teammates “do you have a MBITR?” not understanding what their counterpart was talking about. I think we are now living up to the standard which is required to maintain interoperability, especially with our U.S. counterparts.

Satellite communications I consider being an overall problem. Due to overuse there is bandwidth issue wherever you look, even if you have your own dedicated satellites like we do. We cannot expect our adversaries to not realize what benefit it would have for their own operations if they would jam or intrude satellite communications. But then again this is not a matter of procurement. We need to conceptualize how you call and communicate in the future. This is something we are working on. For the time being, communications are okay.

We focus on soldier systems, because this is a very fast moving world and the special equipped operator is still the main weapon system in special operations. Protection of the operator is of high importance and while we in comparison do not have as large and advanced projects like the U.S., this is definitely an area where we focus on technology, including clothing and ballistics.

If you want me to single out what we're looking for within the next, say 18 to 24 months, it is mobility. Many times mobility is talked about in

terms of airframes, but parachutes and land mobility are critically important. When you arrive in a country via a fixed wing aircraft or if you are in countries with dimensions typically found in Africa, mobility remains a challenge. I think we will be investing in our land mobility fleet by 2018— which by procurement standards is pretty soon. Most probably I will get the money to spend on mobility in 2018, so there’s a lot of work to do to select and buy the right vehicles.

We always try to keep an eye on relevant weapon systems. I foresee that we’re going to renew the individual weaponry for the operators within the course of the next two to three years.

Q: What about night vision?

Baehr: Like for any other special forces our ability to fight at night is paramount and forces us to keep up both with advancing technologies and ever more sophisticated adversaries. We will see some development in the nearby future.

It will be very interesting to see whether the European industry producing night vision technology will finally try to get up to speed compared to the U.S. I would really appreciate a little bit more competition in there.

This is not me saying I want not to buy a U.S. product anymore, but it can be incredibly difficult to purchase top of the notch products. If you want to acquire these in the U.S., you’re dependent on the foreign military sales (FMS) process, a procedure that may take ages. I understand the difficulties behind it, which rest in the approval process and can relate to national security. However, European nations have an interest in national security also.

I’m not finger pointing in the direction of the U.S., I’m complaining about the European defense industry, its situation and the lack of will, capabilities or resources to stand up to the competition and say “we should be able to develop night vision capabilities, which are competitive and which we will offer.” Establishing competition in that particular field may not change the process by which you could buy U.S. products but eventually there could be other high quality products to choose from.

Q: You mentioned the Afghanistan deployments. Are there lessons learned that you’ve adopted that have come out of those operations that have changed the way you’ve looked at expeditionary deployments and within your forward structure?

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Baehr: Our forward structure is very much adjusted to the lessons identified by providing expeditionary task forces and task groups in the last two decades in various theatres. My key interest nowadays is to maintain expeditionary capabilities and—equally important—a related mind-set, especially when key deployments become very static and do not request an expeditionary forward structure—which has been the case in Afghanistan for almost ten years.

Two effects were clearly visible in those years. All organizations and structures became bigger and bigger; nobody was able to do things small anymore. In parts of our community the ability to achieve operational effects with small, self-sustained and autonomous elements got partially lost. This relates to a second effect: being expeditionary is not only about capabilities, the effect of sustained, protracted deployments in the same theatre is that your thinking gets static also. For SOF this is to be avoided at all costs: we need to be constantly evolving to cope with todays and future challenges, this has to be part of our DNA. Another important lesson of being deployed to Afghanistan refers to interoperability—as luck would have it for most of the SOF community this has been prominent very early on. With regard to interoperability, just www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

try to imagine were we would be in the world of SOF without the first five years of OEF in Afghanistan. From a German perspective that got in our DNA as well: the KSK became part of Task Force K-Bar just five years after being established. So we learned the importance of interoperability still being in almost embryonic stadium, many other European nations that started out in Operation Enduring Freedom and continued with ISAF made similar experiences.

Q: Explain your views on international partnerships. Can you give some insight into some of those partnerships?

Baehr: Partnerships and related training events are very important to us to balance operational experience, exercises, the training syllabus with and against the experience of others. So combined training and similar events are highly desirable, however, they have to be limited as well. The limiting factors are given by the size of our organization in relation to the number of training events, required resources and operational commitments at the same time.

In Europe, we have a German-speaking community that establishes a natural partnership. We partner with the Austrians and Swiss which is very interesting because the Austrians are not in NATO and the Swiss are neither NATO nor EU. That gives you a very interesting perspective on a couple of things. Of course, it’s fairly easy because we’re able to communicate in native language.

UK special forces have been initial sponsors of KSK, they have been instrumental in our development and training in the early days. In my own career development as a thoroughbred special forces officer I am very much indebted to the British special forces community, having participated in quite a number of courses, trainings and exercises and most

importantly acquiring a certain mind-set and attitude by spending time with those characters.

We exchanged training and liaison with the Dutch as well as with Scandinavian special forces, mainly the Norwegians.

Our most extensive and key partnership remains the one with the U.S. We have a fairly robust liaison structure in the U.S., focusing presence in Fort Bragg and Tampa. Even our home base in Germany makes the relation to the U.S. SOF community very easy: it takes 30 minutes by car to get us to U.S. Special Operations Command Europe and U.S. Special Operations Command Africa.

On a more personal note I may say that I did work directly for Admiral McRaven at the time when he developed his vision of the Global SOF network and I fully subscribe to that vision. The only way to cope with the future challenges is by fostering the Global SOF network.

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SPECOPS 14.6 | 13

Q: You mentioned earlier about the population that you have to draw from. Can you tell me a little bit about the candidate selection process? How often do you look for candidates? What is the process for selecting? Then the initial testing or evaluation.

Baehr: After the decision was made to establish the KSK we had a detailed look at most of the units that at that time were considered the “gold standard” for SOF. So we travelled to the U.S., to France and to the United Kingdom and mainly visited the special mission units. After those trips we said “This is what we want.”

As mentioned before in 1996 the German armed forces still used conscripts. We had a draft but we knew that we needed a unit of professional soldiers. So we ended up with a three-year training regimen to achieve the desired “gold standard” and would eventually conduct two selections per year.

The official selection process consists of four parts and is complemented by regular training progress review boards during the two-year basic training, those boards serve as an additional selection instrument.

You start with a basic selection, where you see psychologists, doctors and do a basic physical fitness evaluation. This is the part one. Before moving on to the next part of the selection, candidates are offered the chance to attend a 10-week course which serves like a preparation course. Most candidates, especially those that do not come out of an infantry unit, take advantage of this second part of the process before participating in the next phase. The next phase is what many other units call “Hell Week.” It is a two-weeks period, all in the field and it is a combination of highly demanding physical training and exercise with sleep and food deprivation, accompanied by psychologists evaluating the experience for the candidates. The fourth phase is the so called officer’s week, where officers have to pass a dedicated selection, in addition to what they just completed. Once a candidate has passed all those phases—four for an officer and three for an NCO—then they start the basic special forces training course, which lasts about eight weeks.

On completion the students are moved into SERE/combat survival training. If a student passes all of this, roughly three and a half months of selection and training, they are permanently moved to the training wing KSK and continue basic training for the remainder of the two years. After basic training they graduate and get badged. With the status of being limited combat ready they are then moved into the squadrons where they begin their specialization training but may get deployed already.

Earlier you asked about lessons learned from being deployed. Recent years have given testimony that our operators with this training can withstand all the challenges we’ve encountered so far.

Q: Let’s talk about training and re-currency training for the team and for the unit. Do you use assimilation methods or is it mostly live fire, light exercise? Do you use mostly live, virtual constructive? What are the preferred training methods that you have at your disposal?

Baehr: The training and deployment cycle for the operational squadrons which provide forces to deploy spans a two-year period, center of gravity being the six month stand-by period for crisis reaction for each squadron. This deployment cycle mostly provides sufficient time for individual re-currency training, especially for specialist qualifications. But by our experience we now have reached the limit of those capabilities which we consider mission essential (for the KSK) on individual, team and unit level and which we are able to maintain through this deployment and re-currency cycle.

14 | SPECOPS 14.6

Time being the most critical resource we explore all opportunities by which we can save time or speed up training and re-learning skills, especially virtual constructive support. We have been using virtual constructive support since the late 1990s, mainly for planning purposes, mostly on and above team level.

We also worked on dedicated virtual constructive support for training early on but mainly due to the sustained deployments in Afghanistan we lost focus for a couple of years and so related projects were kept dormant for some time. In more recent years it again became more prominent and an area of focus in concept development and experimentation. Respecting the important role of training in the virtual battlespace we have a dedicated staff directorate focusing on simulation and virtual constructive. However, having said that, there still is no such thing as live training, live firing and live exercise.

For live fire training we are very fortunate to have a dedicated and highly sophisticated shoot house on our home base. In the late 1990s, we visited a number of other shoot-type facilities and were using mainly U.S. facilities in Germany for your training. We moved forward with the construction of our own live fire shoot house that allowed us to use our normal combat ammunition in a 360-degree setting. When they talk about train as you fight, there is nothing more important than having your weapon feel and act like in combat. You can’t do that by using frangible ammunition or paint balls. Building such a facility was not easy and created huge challenges but we succeeded and it is in use until today. Making sure that the facility was realistic and safe at the same time was a big concern for the team, especially a young Captain Baehr. I am proud to say that over the past 18 years, we have not had any serious injuries in the shoot house. Just as a side note, the four operational squadrons shoot between 700,000 and one million rounds on an annually basis. While the house was designed so well that it can’t be destroyed, it does have to be cleaned, especially with that volume of rounds.

In the coming years we will incorporate more pre-training that involves simulation, especially at the team level. It’s a little hard to predict when we will start this and when the system will be ready to suit our needs but they ability to pre-train in a simulated world and then go out and do it live should speed up the training results furthermore.

Q: Frequent deployments to war fighters, especially special forces operators can take a toll on their mental state and family back home. How does KSK approach taking care of the war fighter, especially when not deployed?

Baehr: From the very beginning, our selection and training process has been constructed to integrate the psychological assessment and training of each potential operator on a very deep level. He’s been psychologically monitored, trained and prepared during his whole training period. This means that we have precise situational awareness from the psychological perspective on each individual operator—before he starts to get on his first missions. Which is one of the key factors in preventing PTSD and related issues like those similar units have experienced in the extensive war fighting period of the last 15-20 years.

We also have our own family support service element. The German Armed Forces have a general family support service for those troops being deployed. Once a soldier is deployed, the family support system starts. By exception, the KSK is the only command that has a part of this family support system inherent to its structure and on a permanent basis, regardless of any deployment. It is located on base and proved key to tackle all family issues.  www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

SOCAFRICA is the theater special operations command responsible for Africa.

Special Operations International recently had the chance to interview Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, SOCAFRICA commander and talk about the challenges and opportunities of operating and capacity building, and supporting Africa partners as they fight on the frontlines of the war against violent extremisms.

Q: Before we start, tell us a little about Special Operations Command Africa. What’s keeping your team busy at the moment?

Bolduc: Sure — thanks for the opportunity to talk to you today. Special Operations Command Africa is the special operations forces component of USAFRICOM. In this role we’re the theater special operations command responsible for SOF integration in Africa. With a SOF network of between 1,500 to 1,700 operators, analysts and support personnel forward deployed across the African continent at any given moment, SOCAFRICA is leveraged to support operations driven towards the protection of U.S. persons and interests in Africa, assist African partners in providing for their own defense and counter the spread of violent extremist organizations (VEOs) on the continent.

Our command has three forward elements: SOCFWD-East Africa, SOCFWD-Central Africa and SOCFWD-North and West Africa…..but don’t let the geographic names get in the way—I often say our teams are “threat-focused” and will tend to move with their African partners to enable regional solutions and go where the threat is at the moment. In addition, our Joint Special Operations Air Component manages aircraft assets, air support and coordination across Africa. SOCAFRICA integrates SOF capabilities from every branch of the U.S. military and works closely with partners in more than 20 countries.

In addition to the threats emanating from areas of instability in Africa, VEO threats with the capability to reach beyond the African continent are a problem set the SOCAFRICA component is keenly focused on at the moment.

In fact, USAFRICOM has designated SOCAFRICA as the lead component to execute the geographic combatant command’s counter-VEO operations. Recent attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Somalia, Turkey and several countries in Europe have really underscored the fact that these groups are transnational, unpredictable….and dangerous. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Q: Explain your view….or rather, the SOCAFRICA component’s view of the Gray Zone in Africa.

Bolduc: The Gray Zone, or the spectrum of conflict between war and peace, is where we operate every day in Africa. This environment is volatile, uncertain and complex—it’s an immense challenge for government, military, law enforcement and development efforts. In this complex environment is where extremism thrives….an ambiguous place violent organizations are able to find a safe haven. These threats facing our African partners are typically non-state actors, operating in a trans-regional and trans-national, decentralized and dispersed construct, seeking to dominate vulnerable populations who have lost hope due to ineffective governance. Our operating environment is the very definition of the Gray Zone….we are not at war in Africa—but our African partners certainly are.

With this mindset, we approach our mission in Africa as ‘one SOF team’ enabling African partner nations in a supporting role. We’re supporting African military professionalization and capability-building efforts, we’re supporting development and governance via civil affairs and military information support operations teams, and we’re supporting civil administration by providing time and space for these vital institutions to expand governance into remote areas. We are careful not to replace our partners will with our capability or capacity. We want them to own the problem, fight or solution.

In Africa, we are not the kinetic solution. If required, our partner should conduct those types of actions. We do, however, build this capability, share information, provide advice, assistance, accompany and support with enablers. SOCAFRICA operations in the Gray Zone are not unilateral….we’re working in support of our partners.

Most importantly, our entire command recognizes SOF in Africa operate in an environment where diplomacy is key to attaining U.S. policy objectives; the country teams’ integrated country strategy must drive a synchronized, comprehensive approach across the regions. Working in the Gray Zone takes a change of mindset for staffs and the flexibility to try new approaches to complement other U.S. government stability efforts. For SOCAFRICA, and SOF in general, we understand our efforts are part of the solution, but not the solution.

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In the Gray Zone with SOCAFRICA Q: What are the challenges to operating in a transregional threat environment, when everything you do is organized around recognizing boundaries on a map and understood norms of action?

Bolduc: I’m glad you asked—because terrorists, criminals and non-state actors aren’t bound by arbitrary borders. Especially in Africa where borders exist on maps, but in reality there’s no ‘line in the sand,’ little or no border security in remote areas and centuries-old smuggling routes supported by nomadic populations. Threat groups are able to move relatively freely to areas of instability to exploit a lack governance and recruit from under-served populations. Terror groups use the Internet and sophisticated propaganda efforts to push their message easily across borders to find receptive, sympathetic audiences. These organizations endanger the safety and security of all African states as violence disrupts and spreads from areas of instability to stronger nations. Countering these threats—creating a more stable and prosperous continent—is in the common interest of the United States and African partner nations.

That said, everything we do is not organized around recognizing traditional borders. In fact, our whole command philosophy is about enabling cross-border solutions, implementing multi-national, collective actions and empowering African partner nations to work across borders to solve problems using a regional approach. Our partners and SOCFWD commands recognize the arbitrary nature of borders and understand the only way to combat modern-day threats like ISIS, AQIM, Boko Haram and myriad others, is to leverage the capabilities of SOF professionals working in concert. And that’s not only African partners working together, but it’s important to note the vital role European SOF have in disrupting terror networks. Borders may be notional and don’t protect a country from the spread of violent extremism….but neither do oceans, mountains….or distance.

Some examples of this approach are the African Union Regional Task Force in Central Africa, the four-nation effort to stop the Lord’s Resistance Army (a task force that has been incredibly successful, I’d add), the MultiNational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin combatting Boko Haram and the African Union operations in Somalia. We’ve also greatly expanded the Flintlock exercise series; last year more than 20 countries participated in this SOF-focused, capacity building event. In 2017, we expect Flintlock to continue to grow to include SOF from more countries, more interagency partners and provide, I believe, more value to participants and host nations.

I can’t stress enough how important a trusting, relationship-based approach is to solving these problems. Just to illustrate how serious our command is about this approach—here are the topline themes from one of my last engagements: African-led, Cooperation, Collaboration, Relationships, Learning and Sharing, Collective Solutions to Collective Challenges. Clearly, we’re about working across borders to create a more stable and secure Africa….these goals are in all of our countries’ interests.

Q: Capacity building is the name of the game these days. What is the process to determine what capacity should be addressed? Do you wait for requests from a host country for a particular skill or is there an identification of gaps and then approaching the partnership country with a suggestion of options?

Bolduc: A bit of both. Everything we do is nested in the USAFRICOM Theater Campaign Plan (TCP). Under the geographic combatant command’s plan (which is available publicly and briefed to Congress every year), activities and objectives are clearly outlined to guide subordinate units in their engagement with African partner nations. Under the TCP’s five lines of effort, each component aligns and synchronizes its activities to ensure we’re building towards common 16 | SPECOPS 14.6

goals. Necessarily, the capacity-building programs the SOF component is responsible for are rooted in one or more of these TCP lines of effort. In addition, each country team and U.S. ambassador has their own, more tailored objectives for each respective country. Through our SOF liaison officers, the Ambassadors’ and Office of Security Cooperation intentions shape and guide proposals for the coming year. These U.S. embassy chiefs of mission play a critical role in strengthening military-to-military relationships and guide our operations as they’re the U.S. government’s most enduring presence in country.

In addition to aligning our efforts under the USAFRICOM TCP and the country team’s goals as articulated in each integrated country plan, SOCAFRICA’s capacity-building actions must always be in line with larger USSOCOM and DoD objectives—and most importantly, shaped by our relationships with African counterparts.

For example, on a recent trip to Burkina Faso the Chief of Defense discussed the need for the country to expand SOF response capabilities. After the hotel attacks in the region, countries recognize the need to expand the use of specialized, highly-trained counter-terror units. Burkina Faso already has a regiment with the requisite skills, so a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) to expand and diversify these capabilities was quickly planned.

In nearby Senegal, our relationship with the SF company led to a deeper connection between military SOF and the gendarmerie, a new intelligence-operations fusion capability and more emphasis on first responders who could react to terror-related events. Our relationships inform our planning, but the threat also shapes our way ahead—we have to be flexible and think of the requirements of each partner individually while balancing the need to create regional, cooperative solutions.

Q: How are these capacity building missions measured for success?

It seems that there is a strong case to be made for a more persistent engagement so that the newly learned capacity becomes normal for the parent nation.

Bolduc: Capacity building takes time—there are no shortcuts. A lot of planning, literally years of planning, and coordination has to take place for these types of efforts to actually be value-added for the African partner military force and the host nation.

There are really three levels of consideration when you start to measure capacity building efforts for success….and by success I mean does the capacity building effort lead to a permanent change in tactics, techniques and procedures?…does the capacity building effort lead to a change in behavior, processes and approach? and does the capacity building effort stand up to a true test or crisis? These are some of the hard questions you have to ask to really measure whether these programs are worthwhile.

The tactical aspects of training are relatively immediate and easy to measure. During a JCET, exercise or training event, a special forces unit might train a partner force in a particular tactical skill and can quickly ascertain if the training audience has adopted the capability. Trainers can objectively measure competency, then exercise, exercise, exercise that particular skill until it becomes a routine.

Next is the operational level of capacity. How well does the partner force execute in a real-world situation? What are the actual effects on the battlefield? Often, this is where we’ll be able to identify deficiencies that aren’t as readily apparent initially. For example, if a unit is able to act on a target with proficiency, but is unable to move to the objective because they’re waiting on an order to leave the base, or don’t have the logistical support to get to the target and back—then there’s a larger problem. Reoccurring SOF engagements where a unit has a habitual relationship with a partner force can help to identify these types of operational-level gaps. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Lastly is the strategic end-state—a much more long-term and harder goal to accomplish. When you study these types of objectives you have to question whether the partner force is achieving generational success and moving towards an integrated strategy. Is the military working in concert with law enforcement, civil administration and civilian authorities while respecting human rights and the rule of law? Measuring this type of capacity requires the insights of the entire country team, as well as the special operations liaison officer. It’s incredibly challenging for any military force to plan, collaborate and execute long-term operations with proficiency at the strategic level.

I’m also glad you used the word persistent. While we don’t have permanent bases in Africa like we do in Europe or other continents, we do have regionally-aligned SOF units who have a persistent, long-term relationships with a particular region. They’re singularly focused on learning appropriate languages (and local dialects), deploying to particular areas repeatedly and building enduring relationships with their SOF counterparts in the region.

For Africa, the 3rd Special Forces Group based in, Fort Bragg, N.C., is the Special Forces unit aligned with the African continent. The unit is also the force provider and command element for SOCFWD-North and West Africa.

The rotational, but persistent presence 3rd SF Group has with African partners enables soldiers to develop true friendships and rapport with their counterparts at all levels—to truly understand the needs of their partners.

Naval Special Warfare Unit 10 primarily supports SOCFWD-East Africa (and a variety of other training missions across Africa), while 20th Special Forces Group provides additional Reserve manpower to the counter-Lord’s Resistance Army mission in Central Africa. In addition, Marine Raiders (MARSOC) act as SOF liaison elements at some of our U.S. embassies, execute training programs in several countries and partner with African military forces to counter current threats. Each of these regionally-aligned groups is doing great work in moving forward with African partners….together.

Speaking of needs, one of the biggest needs we’ve identified is the development of a professional NCO corps. The NCO ranks are the backbone of the force, the technical experts and the people we trust to execute the most critical tasks. In Africa, many of these military units are dependent on top-down guidance where every decision and every task is managed by a senior person. This leads to inefficient operations and a long lead time to move out on an objective. We’re constantly working with our African partners to develop a professional, trusted and capable cadre of African NCOs who are able to manage their teams and train their own staff in the vital skills they’ll need for today’s fight.

Q: Is there a skill or mission set most requested by the African partners?

Bolduc: As I mentioned earlier, while our nation may not be at war in Africa, the African partner nations we support are. The threat of organizations such as Al Shabaab, Boko Haram, AQIM and ISIL is present within their own borders, across the region and in a growing number of urban areas—as evidenced by the deadly hotel attacks late last year and earlier this year. The SOF capabilities SOCAFRICA is able to provide under training, logistics, intelligence sharing and advise-and-assist authorities are unfortunately in high-demand as threat groups look to move their brand of terrorism from traditional smuggling routes and under-governed spaces to urban population centers and vulnerable targets in the capitals of these African states.

African partners are most often requesting the types of skill sets that will enable them to combat these types of asymmetric threats using the limited resources they have. It doesn’t help if you bring in a gold-plated solution; the capabilities we’re seeking to build must be sustainable, durable and affordable.

Brigadier General Donald C. Bolduc Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa

Brigadier General Donald C. Bolduc is the commander, Special Operations Command Africa, headquartered at Kelley Barracks near Stuttgart, Germany. In this role, he is responsible for the full spectrum of special operations activities across the African continent and the more than 1,700 U.S. military, interagency and international military personnel operating in 27 countries throughout Africa and

www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Europe. SOCAFRICA is designated as U.S. Africa Command’s lead counter-terror operations component.

Prior to this assignment, Bolduc served as the deputy director for operations, United States Africa Command.

Bolduc earned his ROTC commission in 1989, graduating from Salem State College, Mass.

Throughout his distinguished career, He has commanded at multiple levels, including: Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command, Afghanistan; Combined Joint Special Operation Task Force – Afghanistan; 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Afghanistan; C Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group

(Airborne); and HHC, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

His Army and joint experience includes: assistant deputy director for special operations, J-37, Joint Staff, Pentagon; deputy acquisition officer, United States Army Special Operations Command; Executive officer to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, Office of the Secretary of Defense; aide-decamp, Secretary of the Army; joint policy officer, U.S. Total Army Personnel Command; assistant operations officer, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Command; and chemical officer, 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division.

Bolduc’s combat experience is extensive and includes six deployments to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom between 2001 and 2013; two deployments to Kuwait for Operation Desert Spring and Vigilant Warrior in 2002 and 1995; and one deployment to Iraq for Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Bolduc holds a Master of Science in Security Technologies from the United States Army War College.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart, numerous foreign awards, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Special Forces Tab, and Ranger Tab.

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In the Gray Zone with SOCAFRICA For example, in Mauritania our civil affairs (CA) teams helped the country to stand-up its own civil affairs capability. Mauritania identified a need to extend government presence and services into remote border areas as AQIM attempts to spread its influence into under-governed spaces. While the U.S. might periodically provide additional tailored training to the Mauritanian CA unit, they’re now able to conduct operations without the need for additional support. In other countries, our teams have been asked to increase the partner nation’s ability to action intelligence or stand up a more robust cyber or social media monitoring capability. This type of training is key to understanding terror or criminal networks as these illicit groups tend to rely on technology to spread their ideology, communicate and plan for future attacks.

So there’s no single skill or mission set most in demand—each region presents its own unique challenges based on the maturity of the partner force, the capabilities and sustainment capacity of the host nation, and the threats operating in the area.

Speaking more thematically, SOCAFRICA training operations are threatfocused, regionally aligned and aimed at supporting African partner nations across the spectrum of peace and conflict—from rule of law training and the professionalization of partner nation non-commissioned officers to assisting African regional task forces in their efforts to target key threat groups such as ISIL, Boko Haram or the Lord’s Resistance Army. The SOF network helps create specific tailored training for partner nations to empower military and law enforcement to conduct operations against our mutual threats, build response capabilities and strengthen cooperation between African states. We act as the SOF integrator for the full spectrum of capabilities and capacity-building efforts USAFRICOM is providing in Africa. By enhancing our multi-national SOF network and growing these types of capabilities in African partners, we believe the United States can have the most impact on the spread of violent extremism in Africa.

Q: Are there enough SOF-centric exercises in Africa? Are the African partners, SOCAFRICA and the other participants squeezing all of the opportunities from those events?

Bolduc: There are quite a few. We’re especially proud of the Flintlock series of exercises, our biggest event of the year. The Flintlock exercise brings together SOF from more than 20 North American, European and African countries to train in counter-terror operations, human rights, tactical field care, civil affairs, communications and intelligence, and operational-level planning.

Past iterations have been held in Niger, Chad, Senegal and Mauritania (among others).

Flintlock has grown over the years to more than 2,200 participants and now includes FBI and other interagency partners to shift the event from solely a SOF-focused event to more of a comprehensive response to threat of VEOs. The focus is on threats in North and West Africa, but media, liaison officers and observers come from all over the world to see how the combined team is training together at the remote outstations to prepare for cooperative missions anywhere SOF may need to work together.

Silent Warrior is another event our command hosts in various locations.

This exercise is traditionally a U.S. and African partner nation exercise where teams will plan a contingency response effort and work through the logistical, command and control and coordinating functions required to execute an operation. It’s similar to Epic Guardian, another contingency responseexercise, except with Epic Guardian our team actually deploys crisis response forces in support of a U.S. embassy evacuation or force augmentation. I hope Special Operations International can join us for one of these exercises—we’d welcome the chance for you to talk with our African partners or witness the training in action.

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Q: Do you hold an annual special operations commanders conference?

Are there mechanisms in place that allow a somewhat regular, if not constant, level of communication with your African contemporaries?

Bolduc: There are a number of conferences and events we host to ensure communication and synchronization between our staff, African partner nations, U.S. embassy and country teams and interagency organizations is maintained. There’s an annual commander’s conference in Germany where attendees from across Africa share ideas and perspectives—that’s a key event for us, but not the only engagement we have together. We also host senior leader symposiums to engage with civil administration, law enforcement and local voices to gain a deeper understanding of the problem sets our team is tasked to tackle. With these periodic events we’re able to engage with high-level leaders, general officers and key decision makers.

Day-to-day communication with African counterparts is the responsibility of our special operations forces liaison officers stationed in U.S. embassies, SOCFWD staffs and teams on the ground. With all of these points of contact dedicated to the task, our African partners have a direct line to our team.

And like old friends, we talk with one another a lot. I’m on the phone with my African counterparts, on the continent in one-on-one meetings and at larger events nearly every day—by being available and receptive, our team is always working the “useful and necessary” projects they identify. That’s the test I’ve outlined for my staff: all programs must be useful to the partner nation (not the foreign agenda) and necessary to advance the partner nations capabilities. If they don’t pass this simple test….we need to focus on programs that do meet the African partner nation’s needs.

Q: Can you talk about any special operations assistance to Nigeria in specific in the hunt for the Chibok Girls and in the Boko Haram fight in general?

Bolduc: At the request of the government of Nigeria, SOCAFRICA’s SOF teams are playing a central role in the counter Boko Haram fight. It’s not only Nigeria, but the entire Lake Chad Basin is working together to contain, degrade and eliminate the Boko Haram threat; everything we do on the continent is connected by our partners and threat.

SOF are primarily serving as trainers and advisors to our partner nation armies. Through JCET iterations, SOF are bolstering partner nation armies by providing instruction on combat skills from the basic fundamentals of operating weapon systems to the strategy and coordination of waging large-scale operations. Upon completion of each JCET, partner nation units are certified as proficient to deploy to combat Boko Haram militants.

The training does not stop after partner nation military’s have completed the JCET. USSOF personnel conduct bilateral missions alongside partner nation military units to advise commanders throughout the engagements and to validate the unit’s performance.

USSOF are also advising senior leaders of our partner nations in intelligence fusion centers. These centers operate as focal points for the receipt, analysis, gathering and sharing of threat-related information across the battlefield.

Also in the realm of intelligence gathering, USSOF are providing our partner nation military’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities necessary to combat the Boko Haram threat.

Finally, USSOF are working hand in hand with the embassies in our partner nations, the U.S. Department of State and the ambassadors to ensure for coordination amongst our country teams and to promote embassy objectives. www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Q: Africa’s overall population is expected to grown by about 60 percent by 2030, with much of the population driving towards urban areas and will be heavily young. Disenfranchised youth are susceptible to radicalization, especially in less than governed areas. Does SOCAFRICA, as part of the larger USAFRICOM strategy, have a role to help partners develop solutions and counteract the radical rhetoric?

Bolduc: Most certainly. First, it’s important to note there are several issues compounding to make Brigadier General Donald Bolduc talking with countering radical rhetoric a wickedly complex members of a U.S. Army Special Forces team problem set. For much of modern history, violent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in extremism and insurgencies found a receptive ear late July. The general and senior enlisted leader visited troops supporting Operation outside urban areas, radicalizing the disenfranObservant Compass, the multinational effort chised and recruiting from lower socio-economic to counter the Lord’s Resistance Army in populations. Increasingly, we’re now seeing extremCentral Africa. Photo by Sergeant 1st Class Christopher Klutts ists shift from rural insurgencies to more urban movements, with direct access to a more diverse pool of recruits from all backgrounds and the network nodes, determine potential threats and enable partners to disrupt ability to rapidly spread their message via social media and communications these organization’s recruiting efforts. Much of what we’re talking about technologies. And the message is becoming more sophisticated, extending to won’t look like a military solution, it’ll be a combination of civil administration, all classes, economic, ethnic and social strata. technological innovation and development efforts. There’s no simple answer— There’s no doubt, by 2030 Africa’s population will grow substantially and it’s a complex problem requiring a comprehensive approach. become increasingly urban. The current trend of impoverished youth traveling to cities in order to seek employment and opportunities will undoubtedly Q: Can you provide some detail on your civil affairs and MISO capabilicontinue. As a result, Africa will be home to six mega-cities by 2030 (in addities? tion there will be 12 large cities with populations of approximately 10 million).

As these cities become crowded, with employment and resource challenges, Bolduc: Sure—civil affairs and military information support operations are extremist narratives will have greater access to recruits and the ability to two of our most robust, and in-demand, capabilities on the African continent. spread via electronic means. Within a particular area, extremist rhetoric As I’ve said before, we’re not at war in Africa, but our African partners are. seeks influence to control and influence the population and external messagThat statement makes the point for all our planners—our SOF mission is ing attempts influence to support and inspire. The concern is the speed of largely one of enabling, assisting and helping to communicate with the local dissemination and the reach of extremist rhetoric will grow beyond our partpopulation how their government is providing security, serving citizens’ needs ner’s ability to set the conditions for stability, monitor extremist networks, and enhancing the state’s ability to provide services to remote populations. assess and react to these threats.

That’s where CA and MISO really punch above their weight. With fewer than Furthermore, attacks directly attributed to a particular organization are 10 teams deployed across Africa at any given time, these teams are able to a challenge, but the inspired-by attacks presents an even more complex have a dramatic impact for a relatively small investment in personnel and problem as the message itself become the means for the VEO to operationalequipment. ize their rhetoric.

CA and MISO working with SOCAFRICA are critical as they bridge the gap Our current mission seeks to address these conditions where the VEO between governance and security. Whether it’s building infrastructure or rhetoric might take hold. Operations are focused on three phases: protect the messaging access to local government healthcare, everything is centered on populace, provide time and space for development, and lastly, set the condiincreasing the legitimacy of the African partner state. We’re not working to tions for civil administration, local governance and policing. We partner with SOF create recognition for U.S. efforts. The goal is to increase the ability for African forces to react to threats, our intelligence team assists in cyber capabilities to partner nations to project governance. SOF can assist militaries in building monitor VEO networks and intelligence fusion centers help to coordinate infortheir capacity to provide security….but governance is a much more complex mation flow between neighboring countries. The military is not the answer—a problem set requiring a comprehensive approach. comprehensive approach will require investments in a broad range of goverThe comprehensive approach means it’s hugely important to always conance, economic and development initiatives. What we can do is help African ordinate and synchronize CA/MISO missions with U.S. embassy development states to provide security for citizens, allowing local government the time and and assistance efforts. We view our role as complementary, and often in space to extend their reach into under-served areas. SOCAFRICA SOF teams support of, USAID, NGOs and other developmental organizations. We’ve even are continually working to link African military forces to civil administration embedded MISO teams in various Embassies to augment African partner naand police forces—solutions that de-emphasize a military response and look to tions messaging efforts, train host nation communicators and develop cambolster development of effective governance, civilian control of the military and paigns regarding local government services. These teams also assist African the successful integration of all aspects of the civil administration. partners to bring together traditional, local, and regional leaders during Tribal Moving forward, SOCAFRICA and our partners will need to develop Leader engagements. Unlike one-way messaging campaigns, Tribal Leader increased capability for social media monitoring in order to identify terror www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

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In the Gray Zone with SOCAFRICA engagements are an opportunity to listen, something most militaries don’t do enough. For African security forces and law enforcement to hear directly from the civilian population about community needs, concerns and grievances, the government is better able to address issues with real impact.

When military and law enforcement truly listen to citizens, teams are better able to identify critical vulnerabilities that serve as drivers of conflict, instability or contribute to support for violent extremist organizations. Despite the small footprint of CA and MISO teams in Africa, they’re a big part of our cooperative mission.

Q: You’ve mentioned quite a few African ‘partner nations’ you and your team work with on the continent—how might you expand your mission into other African countries to change the U.S. relationship in the future?

Bolduc: We’re always looking for willing and capable partners; no one organization, country or military can counter these threats effectively by working alone. USAFRICOM, through the SOCAFRICA TSOC, looks to provide significant long-term SOF investments in countries with stable governments and growing economies with the capacity to build strong defense institutions, the ability to export security throughout their respective regions, and the ability to synchronize regional security efforts. Many of the nations in Africa are still developing civil institutions, military and law enforcement apparatuses, as well as, the ability to project rule-of-law beyond urban centers to rural areas where the state has traditionally been absent.

That’s one of our greatest challenges—enabling African partner nations to increase governance and provide services to vulnerable populations to counter the violent extremist narrative.

The U.S. relationship with African partners is as diverse as the continent itself. I’d emphasize the valuable contributions of Air Forces Africa, U.S. Army Africa, Navy and Marine Forces Africa—the other components under USAFRICOM. The capabilities each of these organizations brings to the overall capacity-building effort absolutely provides the foundation for our SOF capability and capacity-building efforts. Each of the USAFRICOM components brings a unique perspective to the mission and gives our partners much more capabilities than any single solution could provide.

A SOF solution is only one aspect of a comprehensive approach to engagement on the continent. That’s why I believe it’s important for the TSOC to work closely with other components, interagency partners, Justice, State Department, civil society and NGOs across the spectrum of conflict to assist African partner states. So when we talk about SOF engagement in Africa, it’s not only about training or advise-and-assist missions….we take our cues from the country team and work with all of the stakeholders in country to ensure our objectives are nested in the overall strategy for the area.

That said, within our area of expertise, we would be looking to bolster SOF support to countries who have demonstrated the resiliency to overcome the challenges of the VEO threat, the willingness to address human rights and rule-of-law concerns, and the military capacity to integrate the training provided by SOF teams. Some examples are Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Morocco and Tunisia—each one has unique challenges and characteristics but all possess the desire to forge a long-term partnerships with the United States. SOF is a limited resource, so we’ll look to leverage these small teams where they’ll have the most profound impact. By working with countries who have the potential to export security, we can most directly address the regional challenges of our African partners and directly, positively influence multi-national counter VEO missions.

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Q: Is SOCAFRICA as big as it should be from an organizational and personnel perspective? To execute all of the missions requested of the command, are you as big as you need to be?

Bolduc: Current plans call for SOCAFRICA staff to grow by about 100 people from our current level of approximately 275 over the next couple of years.

That’s not a lot people in relation to the size of the African continent—an area approximately 3.5 times the size of the United States—and the number of missions SOF are tasked against on the continent. In addition, there are approximately 1,700 SOF and enablers deployed to our three SOCFWD elements at any given time. This team is active in 20 nations in support of seven major named operations. Asking any commander if they could use more personnel or resources is like asking a person if they could use more money—the answer will almost always be yes.

There’s never a lack of good ideas, but being a lean organization tends to focus our efforts on what’s truly value-added and important to the mission.

So I think our team is nearly right sized to accomplish the mission and enable our African partners. We have to keep to the SOF Truths and stay flexible—that becomes harder and harder for an organization as it gets bigger. In today’s resource-constrained environment, no military organization will ever have all they desire….but I’m certain we have all the talented, dedicated and motivated professionals we need to accomplish our mission.

Accomplishing our mission isn’t about the size of the TSOC or the number of staff around leadership; we succeed by enabling Africans to address African security challenges. Where our partnership is welcomed and desired, we’ve got sharp men and women ready to work alongside African military members to build the capability of partner nation forces to solve the problems facing the region. Headcount doesn’t guide our mission….the will of our partners and the objectives outlined in the USAFRICOM TCP do.

Q: As you look forward over the next few years, what do you assess will be the biggest challenge for SOCAFRICA and your SOF teams in Africa?

Bolduc: There’s no single challenge….there are a number of inextricably linked challenges facing the Africa, the SOCAFRICA team and international SOF assistance on the Continent. And I can’t stress enough how SOF is not the only answer to these problems. I’m an advocate for our capability and partnership, but these are generational efforts requiring military, civil administration, development, civil society and non-governmental organizations. This type of comprehensive approach and strategic coordination over the long-term is the first of many challenges I foresee for U.S. assistance in Africa. This effort is in all our interests and it’s not impossible….we’ll just have to manage limited resources, manpower and time wisely to continue to make progress.

Also, it’s been widely cited in academia and the media that Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest number of water stressed countries in the world…. there’s approximately 300 million people already living in water-stressed environments. That’s a fact today—it only gets worse for subsequent, growing generations of impoverished peoples. The problem of resource scarcity can easily bring fragile states into conflict and turn neighbors into competitors. I believe it’s not a question of if water wars will occur, it’s a question of when and where.

The “triple threat” facing Africa—population growth, resource scarcity and continued instability—is producing vulnerable populations primed for extremist recruiting while creating opportunities for exploitation from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. How the United States balances its national interests, development, strategic relationships, counter terror operations and the intervention of foreign states will challenge special operations forces and interagency staffs in Africa for much of the next century.  www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Maritime mobility is a critical aspect of special operations capabilities. Technological innovations steam ahead to give the operator the best ride to and from the target.

Dr. Alix Valenti SpecOps Correspondent

A report published by the Rand Corporation in 2012, “Characterizing and exploring the implications of maritime irregular warfare,” stated that, “although maritime forces are often employed primarily in support of ground operations, our research shows that—in environments with a maritime component— maritime operations tend to have a noticeable comparative advantage over land-based operations in terms of mobility...” Arguing that such comparative advantage has not yet been

fully explored and appreciated, the report subsequently outlines a number of scenarios, ranging from counter-piracy and counternarcotics campaigns to unconventional warfare and counterterrorism, where maritime operations can bring a significant strategic advantage.

The involvement of U.S special operations forces in a number of maritime operations, such as the Navy SEALs’ rescue of a Captain Phillips from Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden

in April 2009, or their interception of an oil tanker held by Libyan militias near Cyprus in March 2014, confirms Rand Corporation’s findings. As such, in an evolving international security environment where piracy and seaborne terrorism are becoming key concerns, SOF are progressively increasing the capabilities that allow them to deliver an effective maritime response. Small boats, designed to function in riverine, saltwater, estuaries and bays, have become key acquisitions in such context.

Importance of SOF and Maritime Security Although SOF have been part of U.S military strategy for over fifty years, with the Office of Strategic Services as the forbearer of the Army Special Operations Forces during World War II, they have really gained international momentum since the beginning of the war on terror after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Evolving traditional (protection of exclusive economic zones) and non-traditional threats (piracy and terrorism) are constantly challenging the international security environment. Maritime security, in particular, is presenting nations counting number of allies in Asia, such as the U.S, with challenges that require swift and efficient adaptation.

According to the United Nations, half the world’s population lives within www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

60 kilometers of the sea, and three-quarters of all large cities are located on the coast. These are the littorals and their incredible important grows daily.

The ability to maneuver from close off shore, and transition deep into inland waterways highlights the critical importance of specifically designed small boats and trained operators.

“SOF combatant craft rely on strict size, weight, and power constraints to conduct a multitude of operational missions,” said USSOCOM media and plans officer, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Allen. Small boats are therefore an asset in this context, designed specifically “to optimize user identified mission requirements normally stated as range, speed, sea-keeping and payload requirement,” explained Allen.

SPECOPS 14.6 | 21

USSOCOM USSOCOM, together with the military services, share the responsibility for developing military capabilities for the combatant commands. In order to facilitate SOF’s completion of a variety of maritime missions that require differing range, speed and payload, USSOCOM has equipped itself with four primary combatant craft: the Special Operations Craft - Riverine (SOCR); the Combatant Craft Assault (CCA); the Combatant Craft Medium (CCM); and the Combatant Craft Heavy (CCH).

The SOCR is an armored vessel that provides ballistic protection (up to 7.62mmx39mm ball) for the engines, helmsman and gunners. According to Allen, it is designed primarily for short range insertion and extraction of SOF personnel, but is To develop the right design for a customer it’s important to have a clear understanding of two key factors: also used for the purpose of “waterborne special the type of missions the craft is intended to accomplish and, the intended operational environment. Photo courtesy of Titan Boats reconnaissance in riverine and/or near shore littoral environments.” It has a payload capacity of 4,200 pounds, a range of 195 nautical miles (nm), and is a C-17A. Those features make the CCA the ideal craft to support current Naval able to maintain speeds of 30 knots.

Special Warfare maritime assault and contingency missions. According to The Naval Special Warfare Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (NSW RHIB) is an Allen, “[it] provides medium range maritime assault, interdiction insertion and 11-meter long rigid hull inflatable boat designed primarily to insert and extract extraction of SOF [thanks to its] expanded range of 300 nm, increased speed SOF operators. It has a range of over 190 nm, with a maximum speed of 45 of 40 knots and payload capacity of over 5,500 pounds.” Similarly to the SOCR, knots and a payload capacity of 3,200 pounds. the CCA is armed with .50 cal. and M240 machine guns and Mk19/47 40mm The CCA was designed to fill the gap between the NSW RHIB and the grenade launcher. new CCM: bigger than the NSW RHIB, the CCA is, however, smaller and more The CCM “is a partial replacement for the Mk V Special Operations Craft agile than the CCM, in that it can be both air transported and airdropped from (SOC) and the NSW RHIB” said Allen. Its primary role is to insert and extract SOF in low to medium threat environments, although it may also provide limited fire support, carry out maritime interdiction as well as visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) missions, and counter terrorism as well as FID operations.

The CCM has a range of 600 nm, a speed of 40 knots and a sizeable payload of 10,000 pounds.

The CCH, which is also known as SEALION (SEAL insertion, observation and neutralization) high-speed craft, operates on the littorals and supports a wide range of core tasks, according to Allen: counter-proliferation, counterterrorism, direct action, special reconnaissance, and irregular warfare. The CCH has a range of 400 nm, a speed of 40 knots and can transport a 3,300 pound payload.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) The NECC is responsible for centrally coordinating and managing the manning, training and equipping of the U.S Navy’s expeditionary forces, of which there are currently nearly 20,000 serving around the world. On August 27, 2014, the NECC accepted delivery of its first Mark IV (MK VI) patrol boat from Safe Boats, thus becoming the first delivery of patrol boats to the command since the mid-1980s.

The MK VI is an 85-foot patrol boat that can reach speeds in excess of 35 knots. It is equipped with an ergonomically designed pilothouse, a covered fly-bridge, a reconfigurable main deck cabin and complete with below-deck accommodation as well as shock mitigating seating for up to 10 crew and eight passengers. With a range of 600 nm on full-load and sustained power, which allows the craft to be used for missions of up to 24 hours, Commander Raul Gandara of the NECC affirmed that the below-deck accommodation and the shock mitigating seating are welcome by the crewmen. “Its flexibility is also another particularly attractive feature for our crewmen, as the payload 22 | SPECOPS 14.6

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can be easily changed according to the nature of the mission the craft will be used for,” continued Gandara. The payload may at times include heavy equipment such as unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and Zodiac-style inflatable boats.

“Within the NECC,” said Gandara, “the MK VI is used both for green and blue water sea-keeping missions, ranging from Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and critical infrastructure protection, to supporting theatre security cooperation and security force assistance operations.” Currently, the NECC has received six MK VI, two of which have been assigned to Task Force 56 in Bahrain, two to the East and West Coasts of the U.S, and two will be arriving in Guam in late August this year to contribute to Coastal Riverine Group 1’s different missions, ranging from coastal patrol to mine countermeasures to theater security cooperation.

The NECC is scheduled to receive another six MK VI, with final delivery planned for 2018.

Building small boats: a mission-driven industry Over the years, the industry has been evolving together with the requests from its military customers, ensuring that craft become “more tightly integrated into the warfighter’s mission,” said Josh Pruzek, vice president of special projects for Vigor. These changes, however, have not necessarily involved significant modifications in the design of the craft, explained Todd Salus, vice president of Ocean Craft Marine, because “once a truly exemplary design is

achieved and is fully maturated/well-proven in real-world missions for that particular intended operational environment, the performance improvements achieved through subsequent design-changes are usually incremental at best.” A statement also echoed by Pruzek.

Rather, manufacturers start each design “with a proven hull that is suited for the end-users application,” said Jennifer Michell, Titan Boats’ marketing

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coordinator. They subsequently work closely with their customers to ensure that the final product will meet all their specific requirements. To this end, they need to get a clear understanding of two key factors: the type of missions these craft are intended to accomplish, whether anti-piracy, high-speed interdiction, search and rescue or force protection for instance; and, the intended operational environment, such as riverine, littoral or offshore.

Pruzek also indicated that another key consideration in designing combatant craft is the fact that, while craft designs may not change radically over the years, they will need to be sufficiently flexible to accommodate future significant advances in mission equipment and payload. “These boats need room for growth, typically in space, weight and power,” he pointed out.

The hull is undeniably recognized by manufacturers and customers alike as one of the most important features to build these craft around.

“If a boat doesn’t ride right, doesn’t handle well, it won’t be able to perform the intended mission well, so getting the hull “right” is the most critical aspect of any new design,” said Pruzek. Customer input is therefore key here in defining the type of hull suited for the intended mission. For instance, as Salus indicated, a craft configured for a riverine environment would typically be a shoal-draft design, constructed in aluminum with an open deck, an articulating bow-area for troop-debarkation and, where military missions are the likely intention, multiple crew-serve, weapon-stations. In contrast, a high-speed interdiction boarding-team boat, which is required to operate near-shore and off-shore, “would normally be a true, rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) open-boat design, where the pneumatic or foam-filled hybrid tube-set/collar would naturally flex in response to the wave-action and wave-reentry thus dissipating this energy/impact and resulting shock to the crewmembers,” Salus explained. The propulsion package, which

If a boat doesn’t ride right, doesn’t handle well, it won’t be able to perform the intended mission well, so getting the hull “right” is the most critical aspect of any new design.

Photo courtesy of Ocean Craft Marine

needs to match the hull form and the mission, is also a key feature to be factored in.

The craft electrical and control system is the second most important element to consider when designing these small craft, for it is “the central nervous system of the entire boat,” Pruzek pointed out. Indeed, these systems are key to guaranteeing accurate and timely situational awareness in order to detect and identify, as early as possible, any potential hostile contacts. Similarly, electronic systems such as radar-return, wake-reduction and thermal detection, are also needed to reduce the same detectable signs the boat will present to the same adversarial contact, according to Salus. He added: “it is the boat-builders seamless and ergonomic integration of all these high-technology subsystems into the robust and reliable working-design of the boats that more often than not offer the differentiator among small boat-builders.”

Looking ahead, meeting new challenges As the threats faced by SOF continue to evolve, small craft manufacturers will be required to regularly update the designs of their craft to meet the new challenges. Key to these updates, as industry interviews highlighted, will be manufacturers’ ability to integrate new technologies into

On August 24, the commander of Task Force 75 took permanent ownership of two MK VI patrol boats at Naval Base Guam, marking the patrol boats debut in the Pacific.

U.S. Navy photo

24 | SPECOPS 14.6

their sea- and combat-proven designs, for “these technologies enable us to improve the consistency and accuracy of our designs,” said Michell. This will include adapting designs to new propulsion-systems, shock-mitigation technologies and weapons systems, according to Salus, thus providing “reductions in weight and shock, along with increases in hydrodynamic efficiency for improved speed and range,” added Puzek. This confirms that the industry will continue to remain tuned to SOFs’ requirements in relation to strict size, weight and power as pointed out by Gandara.

Moreover, as indicated by the involvement of the SOF in a number of international missions, as well as the participation of NECC to a number of command task forces, the craft designs will also need to adapt to technologies that facilitate interoperability with allied vessels, thus facilitating “even greater connectivity on the water,” said Puzek.

According to Salus, “the clear design trend for our industry is towards autonomous boat operations (unmanned surface vessel/USV) in as many different mission-profiles as may be possible”, a sentiment that was echoed by all industry interivewees. Ultimately, these small craft will continue to play an increasing role in special operations and task forces at international level, delivering much more than their size and category might suggest, and proving time and again that still waters do run deep.  www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Putting a roof over an operator’s head for shelter, giving them a place to work or store things is critical in harsh environments.

By Henry Canaday, SpecOps Correspondent

Tents and other soft-wall shelters are critical to expeditionary missions and often serve much longer. They come in a wide variety of sizes, from one-man tents to massive facility shelters. Increasingly, the military is seeking better performance, durability, ease of transport and set up and many other features.

Small Tents The two-man shelter is a new capability meant to provide more mission flexibility than five-man tents, explained John Viggato, assistant product manager of the Shelter Systems Team at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. These newer shelters feature lighter materials with increased fire resistance, durability and packability.

They are quick-erecting with minimal labor and can operate in extreme environments.

The Army has been developing a modern ten-man Arctic tent to replace a legacy system from the 1950s. Its advanced materials dramatically improve cold-weather performance, fire protection, weight and durability, while cutting setup time more than half.

Mechanical engineer John Sullivan said advanced, hybrid shelter materials have been tested in extreme environments, including setup and teardown drills, wind and snow loads and user field trials. By designing tents that exploit new materials, the Army is developing more robust shelters that can handle daily abuse and extreme environments.

These improved tents are designed for all four seasons. Frames are stout to handle snow loads and harsh winds. Fabrics can withstand

wind, cold and heat. The Army recently tested two-man shelters on a glacier in the Alaska Range in mid-January and on open sea ice 200 miles north of Alaska at -35 Fahrenheit with 40-mile-per-hour winds.

Firms are also improving small-tent options. MMI Outdoor received its first military contract in 2003, explained marketing director Jake Pugh. Its pop-up BedNet was originally designed as bug protection for marines using cots overseas. Marines liked BedNet so much they took it to the field and improvised their own rain protection, so MMI designed a rainfly system to convert it into a fully-functional field shelter. Every branch of the military has now purchased a total of about 300,000 of these shelters.

MMI focuses on rugged, tactical products. Its tents have been built to reflect this approach. BedNet can accept multiple rainfly options and is now called Burrow. Wolverine, Armadillo, Badger and soon Gopher will join Burrow in MMI’s line of solo shelters. These variants offer different levels of vestibule space, weight and speed of assembly.

The Burrow is the base tent for Wolverine and Armadillo fly systems.

It weighs less than two pounds, sets up and strikes instantly and has a floor made of heavy-duty ripstop nylon, exceeding Mil-Spec requirements.

The Wolverine is the largest full-coverage fly for Burrow, offering dual vestibules and doors for gear storage and entry. Its single pole allows the rainfly to be added in seconds, and total weight, including Burrow, is 4.5 pounds. The Armadillo is lighter than Wolverine, but still has double-wall construction and great ventilation. Including Burrow, it weighs just 3.25 pounds. Badger is even lighter at 3.0 pounds with a mesh body underneath its head end and superior ventilation. MMI’s Catoma brand thus offers extremely light and tough shelters for single soldiers.

2-man extreme cold weather tent field evaluation, -25F 35mph winds, tested on open sea ice in the Beaufort Sea, 200 miles north of Alaska, Ice Camp SARGO, February 2016 Photo courtesy of Natick

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SPECOPS 14.6 | 25

Larger Shelters For larger, multiple-person shelters, the Army is looking to reduce weight and set-up time, explained Clinton McAdams, science and technology lead of Natick’s Expeditionary Basing and Collective Protection Directorate. It wants to make shelters as energy-efficient as possible, while striving for a single shelter solution that works anywhere on earth.

McAdams said larger shelters can be lightened with novel materials. Coming light-weight textiles will reduce weight of external fabrics while meeting environmental requirements. New materials and concepts for support frames could also drastically reduce shelter weight.

McAdams noteed all Army standard shelters go through rigorous testing, including snow loading, wind, rain and erect-and-strike cycles.

“But we understand that once things get into the field conditions may be different.” So he wants to Airbeam-based shelters have proven popular and used by the Army and Navy. High pressure beams provide the structural support and, with the aid of an air compressor can be erected easily. Photo courtesy of HDT increase durability and reduce maintenance. The Army will make future shelters more rugged with advanced materials of higher strength but lighter weight. It wants shelters simple so malfunctions can be quickly repaired.

To ease transport and set up, the Army is considering 3D printing of shelters or components on site. McAdams acknowledged this approach will not come soon. But the Army is contemplating using local materials as feedstock for 3D printing.

“Say you are in the forest, you could use downed branches or foliage processed by a 3D printer to give you useful components.”

The Army has add-on kits for tasks such as chemical and biological protection, signature management and blast and ballistic protection. But add-on kits add to soldier and logistic burdens.

The ideal would be integrated solutions for protection to minimize these burdens.

Elizabeth Swisher, team leader for Fabrics Structures, said the Army wants less logistical A host of factors go into shelter design from the fabrics and durability, but how easy and quickly a shelter can be burdens, more capabilities and usability, reduced erected is also a major consideration—for large and small structures. Photo courtesy of CAMSS weight, volume, setup time and complexity and increased energy efficiency and durability.

The equipment is built to military specification for bearing snow To reduce weight, the service is investigating light, multi-functional loads and resisting wind and fire and comes in different sizes and fabrics and support structures. Smart textiles, flexible composites and shapes for billeting troops, command and control, medical facilities and special coatings are being researched. Ruggedness is primarily achieved “anything else the military does,” Pates said. by the right materials and design. Designs should be intuitive, so untrained Ruggedness, durability and protection in harsh conditions are users understand lift and drag points, setups, strikes and use of shelters. ensured by design. One line, AirBeam, uses high-pressure air beams The Army is also looking at new terrain preparation techniques, as leveling so it can be set up by a minimum number of personnel using an air flat surfaces is very time-consuming. Swisher says additive manufacturing compressor. AirBeam has been used extensively by the Army and Navy. may speed up terrain preparation.

Four high-pressure air beams support the shelter against both winds Here too private firms have been active. HDT Expeditionary Systems and snow. offers a wide variety of soft-wall shelters for the military, explained Carl Other HDT shelters are supported by articulating frames made of Pates, chief technology officer. All are modular and meant for rapid erection aircraft-grade aluminum 6061. These one-piece frames can be set up and striking, but are sometimes left in place for years. HDT shelters have very quickly, with more personnel than the air beams, but no compresbeen used by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, by allied defense sor. Once up, the frame locks itself into positon. forces and non-defense agencies.

26 | SPECOPS 14.6

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The firm also has some specialty products, for example a coldweather arctic shelter for 10 to 15 personnel. It integrates heating ducts and blankets into the shelter.

Another specialty shelter is for protection against chemical and biological weapons. It has a liner tested to ensure that neither of these threats can get through from the outside. Filters pull air into the shelter so it is over-pressured. Air may leak out but not in.

Pates said the AirBeam technology is unique to HDT. And the company’s articulating frames differ from rivals’ frames in being made of one piece. “Others make frames in different pieces, so one can be lost. Ours is a one-piece frame so none can be lost.”

HDT has a new articulated frame shelter designed for very humid climates. It has a breathable skin but protection that keeps moisture out. Pates acknowledged the Gore fabric skin is expensive, “but it keeps the moisture out.”

And HDT is working with the Army to develop a lightweight, small pack-out shelter system that is easy to transport. The system can be carried on just two trailers by HMMWVs. “It provides all a platoon needs for 72 hours,” Pates said. That means a billeting shelter, a tactical operations center, power, water, solar power, a power distribution system, plus table and chairs for the TOC. HDT is testing the system now in Hawaii. It is an integrated shelter system, not just a set of pieces. Pates said the U.S. Army usually likes to do its own integration, but this integrated approach may appeal to both the Army and other forces or agencies.

Scott Thompson, vice president of global marketing and strategy, stressed that HDT provides not just shelters but many peripheral devices essential to FOBs. This equipment is often important to international customers and includes heaters, air conditions, floors, lights, command and control electronics, doors, entryways, air filters, generators and power distribution systems.

CAMSS Shelters has over 30 years of experience in providing military shelters, noted company president Douglas Hotes. “We offer a wide selection of shelters of all sizes and shapes and are able to customize solutions to fit exact needs,” Hotes said. The company offers complete systems, including shelters, environmental control units, generators and trailers. CAMSS shelters have been used for a variety of military purposes, such as command posts, billeting, maintenance, kitchens, bathrooms, gyms and field hospitals.

Hotes said CAMSS designs its shelters to exceed, not just meet, military requirements. “We use Mil-Spec fabrics, high-grade structural aluminum and durable parts to ensure that our customers can trust in our shelters.” He argued that the durability of CAMSS shelters is especially distinguished by extensive testing done in collaboration with government, military and independent testing centers.

Set-up speed can be crucial, so CAMMS offers some shelters that can be ready to go in just over three minutes with a trained crew.

And speed is not limited to just small shelters. CAMMS’s 40EX58 maintenance shelter has been government-tested to take only 19 hours for set-up. And the firm’s shelters take no longer to strike than to set up.

Hotes said CAMMS is a leader in compact packaging to get bigger shelters in smaller and cheaper shipments. He attributes this to part design and customized containers with unprecedented capacity-toweight ratios.

Testing proves CAMSS shelters excel in harsh environments. Most are engineered for 100-mph winds, 20-pound snow loads and external temperatures ranging from -25 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit while maintaining 40 to 80 degrees inside. Further protection in extreme www.SPECOPS-dhp.com

Small teams require small shelters but still need protection from the elements and as much of the climate as possible. Photo courtesy of MMI

temperatures can be obtained from CAMSS’s SolarFly and Insulcam liners, which save energy and reduce requirements from environmental control units.

Hotes stressed that all CAMMS shelters can be set up with included tools and need no heavy equipment. He says CAMMS provides the only all-aluminum, one-piece frame shelter that is truly durable.

The company will soon announce news on its Raptr trailers for deploying shelters, control units and generators affordably.

“Operating in austere environments, special operations forces need high-performance and easy-to-install shelters for both small and large requirements like aviation maintenance,” said Carol Fontius, president of Creative Tent International. And initial shelter facilities may need to evolve as missions change to keep up with essential service.

Fontius said good logistical planning is essential to meet requirements while staying within a budget. And she emphasizes that Creative’s modular, deployable shelter systems offer the best buildup capability to meet changing needs. “Maybe they don’t need to purchase a new shelter, but be able to change the configuration for the growing or winding down requirement. We help them quickly adjust without interruption in operations with our modular capabilities.”

Creative’s Shasta shelters are designed for both expeditionary and long-term missions, install quickly and meet high wind and snow loads. The company emphasizes Shasta’s exceptional performance and price-to-value ratio. The Shasta FTS 20 is a quick-deployment structures for personnel, mess halls or equipment. The FTS 50 is a medium-sized maintenance shelter. Shasta’s FTS 100 is a large maintenance shelter and the FTS 150 is for extra-large maintenance requirements. Finally, the aluminum-trussed FTS200 can house a C-130 Hercules yet be shipped in small, light parts in 20-foot containers.

Even more is possible. “Our name, Creative Tent, is because we are innovative,” Fontius stressed. “So when a customer has a need we listen and determine if it’s a custom innovation or something we can bring to the market as a standard.” The company will continue to focus on speed, strength and performance at competitive prices.  SPECOPS 14.6 | 27

Resource Center Advertisers index Battelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 www.battelle.org/special-ops Creative Tent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.creativetent.us David Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.davidclarkcompany.com Deployed Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.deployedresources.com

IDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C2 www.idexuae.ae ISDEF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3 www.isdefexpo.com Trijicon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.trijicon.com SOF Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 www.sof.dsigroup.org

Calendar September 19-21, 2016 Air & Space Conference & Technology Expo National Harbor, Md. www.afa.org

October 13-14, 2016 Global SOF Symposium – Europe Vilnius, Lithuania www.globalsofsymposium.org/ europe

September 14-18, 2016 Africa Aerospace & Defence Waterkloof Air Force Base, South Africa www.aadexpo.co.za

November 16, 2016 Global SOF Foundation National Capitol Region Reception Pentagon City, Va. www.globalsoffoundation.org/ events

September 21-23, 2016 Sniper Symposium Newbury, UK www.omconf.com/eventdetail. asp?EID=102 September 27-29, 2016 Modern Day Marine Quantico, Va. www.marinemilitaryexpos.com/ modern-day-marine.shtml October 3-4, 2016 AUSA Annual Washington, D.C. www.ausameetings. org/2016annualmeeting/ October 11-12, 2016 Annual SOF Symposium Alexandria, Va. www.sof.dsigroup.org/

November 16-17, 2016 Close Air Support Conference Reading, UK www.omconf.com

February 21-23, 2017 Global SOF Symposium Palm Harbor, Fla. www.globalsoffoundation.org/ events

November 28-December 2, 2016 I/ITSEC 2016 Orlando, Fla. www.iitsec.org January 17-20, 2017 SHOT Show Las Vegas, Nev. http://www.shotshow.org

March 28-30, 2017 SOFINS Camp de Souge, France http://www.sofins.fr

January 24-26, 2017 ShieldAfrica Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire www.shieldafrica.com

April 22-29, 2017 Army Aviation Missions Solutions Summit Nashville, Tn. www.quad-a.org

Correspondents Peter Buxbaum • Henry Canaday • Patrick Clarke Andrew Drwiega • DR, ALIX VALENTI • ANDREW WHITE Associate Publisher RON mayne • ronm@defense-house.com

28 | SPECOPS 14.6

February 19-23, 2017 IDEX Abu Dhabi, UAE www.idexuae.ae

March 13-15, 2017 Global Force Symposium Huntsville, Ala. www.ausa.org/events/ global-force-symposium-andexposition-2017

Editorial Jeff McKaughan • jeffm@defense-house.com

Publication Design Jennifer Owers • Scott cassidy

February 14-16, 2017 SO/LIC Symposium & Exhibition Bethesda, Md. www.ndia.org/meetings/7880

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May 15, 2017 Global SOF Foundation Tampa Reception Tampa, Fla. www.globalsoffoundation.org/ events May 16-18, 2017 SOFIC Tampa, Fla. www.ndia.org May 16-18, 2017 ITEC Rotterdam, Netherlands www.itec.co.uk/Exhibitor/ITEC-2017 May 22-25, 2017 Special Operations Medical Association Scientific Assembly and Exhibition Charlotte, N.C. www.specialoperationsmedicine. org/Pages/scientificassembly.aspx June 6-8, 2017 ISDEF Tel Aviv, Israel www.isdefexpo.com

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