U.S. Special Forces Is Gearing Up To Conduct Internet Propaganda And Deception Campaigns Online Using Deepfake Videos

The Intercept: U.S. Special Forces Want to Use Deepfakes for Psy-Ops  

The U.S. government spent years warning deepfakes could destabilize democratic societies. 

 U.S. Special Operations Command, responsible for some of the country’s most secretive military endeavors, is gearing up to conduct internet propaganda and deception campaigns online using deepfake videos, according to federal contracting documents reviewed by The Intercept. 

The plans, which also describe hacking internet-connected devices to eavesdrop in order to assess foreign populations’ susceptibility to propaganda, come at a time of intense global debate over technologically sophisticated “disinformation” campaigns, their effectiveness, and the ethics of their use.  

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Update #1: US special forces may use deepfake technology for psy-ops, report says (The Independent)  

Update #2: US Special Ops Wants To Use Deepfakes To Conduct 'Propaganda And Deception' Campaigns (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: Deepfake videos are getting better and better with each passing year. I can easily see this technology being successful in duping a certain percentage of a target audience.

Here's How Elite Aviators Prepare For That Worst-Case Scenario When A Helicopter Goes Down

A man stands next to the wreckage of a US helicopter after a nighttime raid by US special-operations forces against the leader of ISIS in Syria's Idlib province, in February 2022. RAMI AL SAYED/AFP  

Business Insider: Another helicopter went down on a US special-ops raid. Here's how elite aviators prepare for that worst-case scenario.

* An MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down during a special-operations raid in Syria this month. 

* The helicopter malfunctioned and had to be destroyed because it couldn't fly back after the raid. 

* US aviators prepare for the malfunctions, crashes, and other mishaps that are a risk on such missions. 

Last week, Delta Force conducted a counterterrorism operation in northwestern Syria that killed Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the leader of ISIS. 

The hours-long raid killed 13 people, including six children and four women. There were no American casualties, but that almost wasn't the case. 

During the operation, an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flown by the elite pilots of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Stalkers," had to land after experiencing a malfunction. US forces then destroyed the chopper with an air strike to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. 

For the Night Stalkers, the risk of a crash is omnipresent during these kinds of operations, but they are prepared for that possibility.  

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WNU Editor: These operators are probably the best helicopter pilots in the world.

US Special Forces Want A Commando Seaplane

A rendering of an amphibious modification to an MC-130J Commando II is shown here. Air Force Special Operations Command and private sector counterparts are currently developing a Removable Amphibious Float Modification (RAFM) for the MC-130J. (Courtesy AFSOC)  

Asia Times: China killer: Special Ops wants a commando seaplane 

US military is looking at the potential of an amphibious C-130 Hercules variant in support of AFSOC Like a giant Kraken, awaking from a lengthy slumber, America’s global military might is slowly turning toward its main enemy, China. 

While the latest evidence of that is the newly revealed “Three Eyes” AUKUS pact, which will provide nuclear-powered submarines and technology to Australia, the renewed focus on Asia is affecting just about every arm of the US military. 

The UK also announced it will station two patrol vessels in the Indo-Pacific region for “at least the next five years” as part of the allied effort to check China’s naval expansion.  

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Update: Air Force Wants to Move Fast on Boat Plane for Special Operators (Military.com)  

WNU Editor: More signs that the Pentagon is shifting its attention to the Western Pacific and China.

U.S. Special Forces Soldier Dies During Underwater Combat Training At The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center

'During the training event, the Soldier submerged and did not resurface. The cadre immediately entered the pool and found him unresponsive,' said press releases issued by the Army Combat Readiness Center and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.  

Daily Mail: PICTURED: Special Forces soldier dies during underwater combat training at the Army's 'toughest course' in Key West - the second death at facility in five years 

* Staff Sergeant Micah E. Walker of Peyton, Colorado, died during training 

* Training exercise was at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center's Special Forces Underwater Operations course at a Key West Army facility 

* 'During the training event, the soldier submerged and did not resurface,' an army press release stated 

* A spokesperson for the facility said that an autopsy had yet to be performed at that the cause of death was unknown 

* Walker is survived by a wife and three children, and had just qualified to become a Special Forces medical sergeant this January 

* Walker had received the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct medal and a slew of other accolades 

* The seven-week training is considered the most difficult throughout the military branch, and two thirds of the elite soldiers who are chosen to participate quit 

* Trainees learn to fight other divers underwater and travel long distances underwater for covert operations 

A Green Beret has died in a training accident in the Army's infamously difficult Combat Diver Qualification course in Florida's Key West. 

Staff Sergeant Micah E. Walker, a married father-of-three, was taking part in the grueling underwater combat training at the Army Combat Readiness Center and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Tuesday. 

The facility said in a statement that Walker 'submerged and did not resurface'. 'The cadre immediately entered the pool and found him unresponsive,' they added. 

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WNU Editor: These soldiers are closely monitored during training. Something clearly went wrong. 

More News On A U.S. Special Forces Soldier Dying During Underwater Combat Training  

Special Forces Soldier Drowns at Key West Base -- Military.com  

Special Forces soldier drowns during training in Key West -- The Hill  

Special Forces soldier drowns during training in Key West, Florida: report -- FOX News  

Cause of death still being sought for Green Beret who died at dive school -- Army Times

Pentagon Preparing A Proposal To Send Special Operations Forces Back to Somalia

U.S. forces practice convoy training with the Danab Brigade in Somalia, May 4, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Zoe Russell/U.S. Air Force)  

Military.com/Stars and Stripes: Proposal Calls for Sending Special Operations Forces Back to Somalia, Report Says 

STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. military officials are preparing a proposal to send a special operations contingent back into Somalia, where security conditions have worsened in the months since nearly 700 troops were pulled out of the country, a news report said Tuesday. 

The plan, which would involve several dozen troops, hasn’t yet been formally presented to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, The New York Times reported. The newspaper cited unnamed Pentagon policymakers saying they want to step up counterterrorism efforts against militants aligned with al-Qaida.  

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Update: Pentagon Weighs Proposal to Send Dozens of Troops Back to Somalia (New York Times).  

WNU Editor: So much for the US getting out of the forever war in Somalia.

How Much Do US Special Forces Make?

Yahoo News: How Much Do Navy SEALs and Other Special Ops Make? 

We’re all familiar with the commercials encouraging Americans to enlist in the military. Action-packed and provocative, these ads (even those that call out individual career types) tend to keep it simple, glossing over details about one very important factor: money. How much can you make in the military, particularly as you advance up the rungs? 

When you’re talking about base salary, the answer is not a whole lot — at least, not when compared with many civilian careers. Even those in high-ranking special forces divisions aren’t sweeping in hundreds of thousands of bucks a year; in fact, they’re often earning much less. Money worries often plague military families, with nearly 9 in 10 active service members and 84% of military spouses worried about money, a National Foundation for Credit Counseling report found. 

To get a better idea of how military pay works, here’s a look at special forces military careers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, respectively, considering the average salary and from there, breaking down how payment in the military generally works. You’ll want to read on to see some of the perks and benefits that might make the lower pay worth it for you.  

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WNU Editor: Not enough.

U.S. Special Operations Command Resisting Demands For More Civilian Oversight

Politico: Internal study highlights struggle over control of America’s special ops forces 

Scandals have prompted calls for more oversight of Special Operations Command. 

Over the past several years, America’s special operations forces have been rocked by a string of scandals — drug trafficking, murder and multiple investigations involving war crimes. As the cultural chaos unfolded, top civilian Pentagon officials moved to exert more control over America’s most elite military units. 

But now, the academic arm of the military command that directly oversees those troops is quietly conducting a study that critics say is designed to help fend off additional efforts to increase civilian oversight of the community. 

The study, which has not been previously reported, is being conducted by Joint Special Operations University, the academic arm of U.S. Special Operations Command. The plan is to review arguments for and against establishing a separate military branch for the special operations community, according to a slide deck dated March 21 and reviewed by POLITICO. It also asks what SOCOM may be able to learn from former President Donald Trump’s surprise campaign to establish a separate service for the military’s space professionals — an effort some in the Pentagon initially opposed.  

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WNU Editor: The politicians are the ones who have the final decision on what happens next. My prediction. There will be more civilian oversight over US Special Operations Command, and a concerted effort to clean-up house.

New Head Of Diversity And Inclusion At US Special Operations Command Has Been Reassigned After Media Reports On His Past Social Media Posts Comparing President Trump To Hitler Surfaced

CNN: New head of diversity and inclusion at US Special Operations Command reassigned as military investigates social media posts 

(CNN)The newly hired head of diversity and inclusion at US Special Operations Command has been reassigned as the military conducts an investigation of his controversial social media posts, military spokesmen said Monday, including one that appeared to compare former President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. 

On June 20, Richard Torres-Estrada posted a picture of Trump holding a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church posted alongside a picture of Hitler in front of a crowd giving the Nazi salute. 

The photo of Hitler had been altered to show him holding a Bible. Torres-Estrada commented in Spanish, saying, "Let me leave this here for you and slowly back away (while I continue to work from home)." 

A senior defense official told CNN that the post comparing Trump to Hitler was among the social media posts under investigation. 

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Update #1: Diversity chief for Special Operations Command under investigation for social media posts (Stars and Stripes) 

Update #2: Pentagon diversity chief 'reassigned' after comparing Trump to Hitler on social media (FOX News) 

WNU Editor: This blog first reported on this story last week .... U.S. Special Operations Command Hires Their First Diversity And Inclusion Chief (March 25, 2021). 

Richard Torres-Estrada has closed his social media accounts, and the Pentagon is now saying that he has been reassigned. Reassign to what? The Pentagon is not answering that question.

U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Wants A New Aircraft That Can Fly Reconnaissance Missions And Bomb Enemy Forces

PC-12 (Wikiwand) 

Defense One: New Plane Key to Special Ops Vision for Africa, General Says 

Air Force Special Operations Command is planning flight demonstrations in coming months. A new aircraft that can fly reconnaissance missions and bomb enemy forces is key to U.S. special forces’ future in Africa, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command said Tuesday. 

Lt. Gen. James Slife spoke as the Biden administration reviews the U.S. military’s global footprint and prepares to advise Congress on reorienting American forces for future conflicts. 

“I would suggest to you that if we want to maintain pressure on those violent extremist organizations that pose a threat to the United States — that pose a threat to the homeland — we may need to remain engaged in portions of Africa against very specific threats and not just broadly, anywhere where there's an extremist, but specifically where those that pose an external threat are,” Slife said Tuesday during a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Zoom event. 

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WNU Editor: It makes sense that (to me) that the US Air Force wants to field counterinsurgency aircraft that are cheaper to fly than high-performance fighter jets. What does not make sense is that the Congress is saying no.

U.S. Special Operations Is Upgrading Its Gunships And Airlifters

The AC-130J Ghostrider provides close air support, special-operations armed airborne reconnaissance, and ordnance delivery to precise targets in support of ground forces. Air Force/Courtesy photo

Business Insider: US Special Operations Command is upgrading its gunships

* US Special Operations Command recently awarded a $700 million contract for countermeasure systems for its AC-130J gunships and MC-130J airlifters.
* The AC-130J provides close air support and the MC-130J is mainly an infiltration and refueling aircraft, and the upgrades will allow them to better fend off enemy radar and missiles.

The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will be upgrading its fleet of AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft with the addition of countermeasures systems against air and ground threats.

Last week, SOCOM awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a $700,000,000 contract for the development and procurement of Radio Frequency Countermeasure (RFCM) systems. The RFCM system upgrades will enhance the aircraft's ability to fend off enemy radar detection and missiles from both the air and land. The countermeasure systems, moreover, will help the aircraft identify threats more effectively and also bolster its geolocation capabilities.

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WNU Editor: The upgrade is to better fend off enemy radar and missiles.

US Special Operations Command Is Getting A New Dune Buggy

Polaris' MRZR Alpha tactical vehicle. Polaris

Business Insider/SOFREP: US Special Operations Command is getting a new dune buggy

* US Special Operations Command has awarded a contract to the firm Polaris to build a new light tactical all-terrain vehicle for special operators.
* The potential seven-year contract is for up to $109 million worth of the company's MRZR Alpha vehicle.

Polaris's government and defense business has been awarded a potential seven-year, $109 million contract from the General Services Administration (GSA) to build a light tactical all-terrain vehicle for the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

This follow-on contract is for the Polaris MRZR Alpha, a new light tactical vehicle. The seven-year contract has a value of up to $109 million and was awarded on May 29, 2020, following a competitive bid process.

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WNU Editor: This vehicle provides no protection. It looks like it is built for speed more than anything else.

U.S. Special Operations Command Wants To Use The Army's Futuristic Troop-Carrying Helicopter

Boeing and Sikorsky's SB>1 Defiant helicopter. Army Program Executive Office, Aviation

Business Insider/Miltary.com: Special Operations Command wants to use the Army's futuristic troop-carrying helicopter

* US Special Operations Command is eyeing the Army's helicopter programs for replacements to the helicopters it uses for special-operations missions.
* SOCOM sees the Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft effort as potentially yielding a replacement for the UH-60 Black Hawk, but it's not sure the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program will produce an alternative to the MH-6 Little Bird.

The head of Special Operations Command's helicopter programs is counting on the conventional Army's Future Vertical Lift effort to replace SOCOM's MH-60 Sea Hawk fleet. But he's not sure it will work as an alternative to the MH-6 Little Bird.

Army modernization officials recently selected Bell Textron's V-280 Valor tilt-rotor helicopter prototype and the Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 coaxial-rotor Defiant helicopter prototype for the next phase of its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) effort to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk.

The service also selected Sikorsky's Raider X coaxial helicopter and Bell's "360 Invictus" single-rotor concept for the second phase of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, which is intended to fill the gap left by the retirement of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters.

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WNU Editor: U.S. Special Operations has a few choices.

U.S. Special Forces To Test Laser Gunship For Covert Strikes In 2022

AC-130J Ghostrider gunship US Air Force

Forbes: U.S. Special Forces Test Laser Gunship For Covert Strikes

The prospect of laser fire from above moved closer with an announcement from the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) that they will test fire a high-energy laser weapon from an AC-130J aircraft in 2022. The plan was disclosed at the at the Virtual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference this week.

The AC-130J Ghostrider is a fearsome flying arsenal. Like its Vietnam-era gunship predecessors, it carries a radar-guided 105mm howitzer and 30mm rapid fire cannon. The modern version also has precision strike capability, dropping 250-pound GPS-guided GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs and 34-pound laser-guided AGM-176 Griffin missiles.

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WNU Editor:  Laser weapons are the Next Big Thing. They are putting it on everything .... warships, fighter jets, Army vehicles, so why not on a gunship. The first test will be in 2022.

U.S. Special Ops Command Is Now Facing Budget Cuts

National Defense: Special Ops Command Faces Funding Cuts

U.S. Special Operations Command could see reductions in modernization investments in the coming years as the Pentagon focuses on great power competition.

President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2021 budget request included $2.3 billion for procurement for SOCOM, a reduction of about 12 percent compared to the enacted amount for 2020, and 26 percent less than what it was allocated in 2019, according to budget documents.

It also included $732 million for research, development, test and evaluation, about 14 percent less than the $852 million it received in 2020. However, that would still be well above the $613 million it received for RDT&E in 2019, providing more money to develop next-generation systems.

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WNU Editor: Another sign that the U.S. military focus is shifting away from small wars that go on forever, to preparing for big power conflicts.

US Special Operations Command Now Wants A Fleet Of Light Attack Aircraft Fleet

The Air Force in October 2019 announced plans to purchase small numbers of AT-6 (shown at top) and A-29 aircraft (shown at bottom) as part of its light attack experiment. Air Force photos.

Task & Purpose: SOCOM is eyeing a fleet of light attack aircraft for 'armed overwatch'

U.S. Special Operations Command is looking to pick up 75 light attack aircraft to conduct "armed overwatch" missions in conjunction with ground forces, according to new solicitation.

SOCOM plans on holding several industry days with defense contractors in March for the new Armed Overwatch program which is intended to provide U.S. special operations forces with "deployable and sustainable manned aircraft systems" for "close air support, precision strike, and SOF intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in austere and permissive environments," according to the Feb. 3 solicitation.

Based on the outcome of those industry days, SOCOM intends to then award a follow-on indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to furnish the command with an expected total of 75 light attack aircraft over a five-year base ordering period, according to the solicitation.

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More News On U.S. Special Operations Command Now Wanting A Fleet Of Light Attack Aircraft Fleet

SOCOM Announces Plans to Buy 75 ‘Armed Overwatch’ Planes -- Air Force Magazine
US Special Operations Command Now Wants its Own Light Attack Aircraft Fleet -- Military.com
SOCOM seeking Armed Overwatch planes (Video) -- Defense News

U.S. Special Operations Troops Mock Order To Behave

US Special Operations Forces pose for a group photo in Syria

Washington Examiner: 'They want us to be choirboys': Special operations troops mock order to behave

TAMPA, Florida — Four men sat inside at a back corner table, monitoring the pub's main entrance for unspecified perils. They did not expect trouble, but this is what special operators do: They stay vigilant, even when far from war zones.

Here at a favorite hangout near Florida's MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Special Operations Command, the men convened in civilian attire Wednesday night while off-duty. The operators met with the Washington Examiner to talk about a simmering issue within their ranks: a "culture and ethics" letter issued this week to all members of U.S. Special Operations Command.

The letter from commanders was released along with the results of a study into why elite war fighters sometimes get into trouble over matters, including war crimes or murder. The letter lamented the threat to public trust and cited shortcomings in leadership, discipline, and accountability. It conveyed a mix of gratitude, encouragement, and somber admission but cited no direct plan to set things aright.

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WNU Editor: Complain as much as they want. In the end these men will follow orders and behave.

U.S. Special Operations Command's Ethics Review Has Been Released

An over-emphasis on prowess in combat has eroded leadership and professionalism in special operations, according to a SOCOM review. (Lance Cpl. William Chockey/Marine Corps)

Task & Purpose: Special Operations Command review finds deployment and leadership issues but no 'systemic ethics problem'

The long-awaited Special Operations Command's ethics review has finally been released, which argues that there is no "systemic ethics problem" in the special operations community while acknowledging a range of underlying problems stemming from a high operations tempo and insufficient leadership.

Army Gen. Richard Clarke, head of SOCOM, ordered the ethics review following several incidents of special operators being accused of crimes, including two SEALs and two Marine Raiders being accused of killing a Green Beret in Mali; a SEAL platoon being kicked out of Iraq over allegations of drinking and sexual assault; members of a SEAL team using cocaine and other drugs; and Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher being accused of killing a wounded ISIS fighter. Gallagher was found not guilty of murder. He was convicted of posing for a picture with the fighter's corpse.

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More News On The U.S. Special Operations Command's Ethics Review

Review Finds No Systemic Ethical Problems in Special Ops -- US Department of Defense
Spec Ops Culture Sets Conditions 'Favorable for Inappropriate Behavior,' 4-Star Says -- Military.com
Ethics slips involving Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets stem from combat culture, review finds -- FOX News
US Special Ops chief says leadership shortcomings contributed to 'conditions for unacceptable conduct' -- CNN
US special forces discipline hit by repeat deployments: Pentagon -- AFP
Special operations has an entitlement problem. Here’s how they intend to fix it. -- Military Times
Special operations review finds leadership, discipline issues -- The Fayetteville Observer
US military's Special Operations Command says its newest recruits may have an 'unhealthy sense of entitlement' -- Business Insider

These Are The Pilots Who Fly SEALs And Delta Force To Their Most Dangerous And Secretive Operations

A US Army MH-60M Blackhawk from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), June 19, 2019. Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Pena / US Army / DVIDS

Business Insider: Meet the Night Stalkers, the pilots who fly SEALs and Delta Force to their most dangerous and secretive operations

* The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne (SOAR-A) is the elite aviation unit that flies special operators like Navy SEALs and the Army's Delta Force into the most dangerous and secretive missions the US conducts.
* The 160th, nicknamed the Night Stalkers, operates religiously my their creed, which says they'll be there within plus or minus 30 seconds of any operation time, and they'd "rather die than quit."

The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, (SOAR-A), has earned the nickname "The Night Stalkers."

Operating under the cover of night or the shadows of dawn, these elite pilots are responsible for getting special operators into and out of some of their most secret and dangerous operations.

Night Stalker pilots go through rigorous training to become mission-ready to fly in the most challenging conditions, including bad weather and enemy fire, all while relying on infrared and night-vision equipment to navigate through the darkness.

While many of the 160th SOAR's operations are secret, it's widely understood that they were involved in the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

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WNU editor: This is dangerous work.

Here's What We Know About Delta Force

Special Ops Magazine

Business Insider: Here's what we know about Delta Force, the super secretive troops who went after ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

* The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D) unit, otherwise known as Delta Force, was involved in the US's successful raid on the compound of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
* The highly secretive unit — comprising about 1,200 operators — recruits mainly from other Special Forces units like Army Rangers and Green Berets.
* The unit was started in 1977 under Col. Charles Beckwith, who saw the need for a force that could mobilize quickly to fight unconventional threats.
* Beckwith envisioned a force like the British Special Air Service, or SAS, which he served with as an exchange officer in 1962.

The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D) unit, otherwise known as Delta Force, is a highly selective, extremely secretive unit under the Joint Special Operations Command.

Since its inception in 1977, it has been involved in several high-profile and high-risk operations, like the 1993 mission in Somalia that inspired the movie "Black Hawk Down," as well as classified operations the public will likely never know about.

Here's what is publicly known about Delta Force.

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WNU Editor: They have a long history.

U.S. Special Forces Have A Plan To Win Asymmetric Wars

Reuters

Keith Pritchard, Roy Kempf, and Steve Ferenzi, National Interest: National Interest: How to Win an Asymmetric War in the Era of Special Forces

U.S. Army special operations forces should be the force of choice to lead these efforts against adversaries that deliberately avoid America’s conventional strengths.

Imagine a military force that could prevail against America’s adversaries in great-power competition without going to war. As the specifics of “competition” with China and Russia continue to vex national leaders down to tactical military formations, new times call for new approaches to secure America’s national interests. United States Army special operations forces should be the force of choice to lead these efforts against adversaries that deliberately avoid America’s conventional strengths.

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WNU Editor: Here is a must read .... Big changes to grueling Special Forces course draw scrutiny (AP)