The "Fusion of Foes": A Complex and Colliding Threat Matrix
Patrick- May 8
- 3 min read
At SOF Week 2025 in Tampa, Florida, top leaders from U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) laid out a bold and urgent vision for the future of America’s most elite forces. Against the backdrop of rising global instability, converging threats, and accelerating technological change, SOCOM is spearheading what Gen. Bryan Fenton called a “SOF renaissance.”
“The world has changed. The battlefield is no longer limited by borders, and our adversaries are no longer isolated. They’re learning from each other, combining forces, and evolving faster than ever. So must we,” Fenton declared to a packed hall of military leaders, defense contractors, and allied partners.
SOCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Shane Shorter coined the term “fusion of foes” to describe what the United States and its allies now face: a confluence of hostile actors sharing tactics, training, and technology. No longer are state actors like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea distinct from non-state groups like Hezbollah or ISIS. Increasingly, these entities are collaborating — not through formal alliances, but by copying each other's playbooks and capitalizing on shared enemies.
“We’re not seeing isolated threats anymore,” said Shorter. “We’re seeing layered, multidomain, coordinated efforts — from cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns to kinetic attacks in denied areas.”
One example cited was Iranian proxy groups in Syria using Chinese-made UAVs and encrypted comms — capabilities once limited to state-level militaries. Similarly, Russian mercenary groups have used tactics adapted from Western SOF training observed during deployments in Africa and Ukraine.
Surge in Operations: Demand for SOF Triples
Over the past three years, SOF crisis response missions have surged by over 200%, according to data shared by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Many of these deployments have taken place in gray zones — ambiguous operating environments where legal authorities, public transparency, and political risk converge.
From evacuations in Sudan and Haiti to maritime operations in the South China Sea, SOF teams have become the first call in emerging crises, often operating far forward of conventional units.
“You can’t wait for perfect intel in today’s world,” said a senior JSOC official off the record. “You’ve got to act fast, based on partial data, and be ready to adapt on the fly.”
Innovation at the Speed of Relevance
One of the most urgent messages coming out of SOF Week was this: modernization must move faster.
Commanders and acquisition leads emphasized that the Pentagon’s traditional bureaucratic pace — measured in years — is obsolete. In its place, SOCOM is fostering direct partnerships with venture-backed defense startups and bypassing red tape through authorities like Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).
“In some cases, we’re fielding software updates to operators in days, not months,” said Col. Anne Garcia, who leads tech integration at SOCOM. “Our people don’t just need gear that works — they need gear that evolves.”
Key technologies on SOCOM’s radar include:
* AI-enabled ISR platforms
* Commercial satellite constellations
* Secure mesh-networked radios
* Tactical robotics and unmanned systems
* Edge processing for real-time battlefield data analytics
SOCOM’s **SOFWERX** innovation hub has launched multiple “Tech Sprints” to rapidly prototype and test fieldable capabilities — often in coordination with USSOCOM’s global components, including NSW, MARSOC, AFSOC, and USASOC.
Shifting Strategic Priorities: From CT to Peer Competition
Christopher Maier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD-SOLIC), outlined the philosophical shift underway: U.S. SOF is pivoting from the post-9/11 counterterrorism focus toward preparing for conflict with near-peer adversaries.
This does not mean abandoning CT missions, he emphasized, but rather incorporating that hard-won experience into a broader strategic framework.
“SOF’s roots — guerrilla warfare, resistance networks, intelligence integration — are tailor-made for the modern competition space,” Maier said. “But we have to retool for China, Russia, and the contested domains they dominate: cyber, space, and the information environment.”
Recent training rotations have paired SOF units with space operations personnel, Army PSYOP units, and cyber planners — rehearsing missions like disrupting satellite networks, spoofing ISR feeds, and digitally isolating enemy command nodes.
Preparing for the Next Fight
To reinforce readiness, SOCOM is reexamining its global basing, force posture, and pre-positioned capabilities. Senior leaders are exploring permanent SOF presence in the First Island Chain in the Pacific, rotational forces in Eastern Europe, and deeper ties with regional partners across Africa and South America.
The future battlefield will likely be contested, denied, and watched. That’s why stealth, speed, and self-sustainment remain the pillars of SOF force design.
Fenton closed his remarks with a warning and a call to action:
“Our adversaries are fusing. This fusion of forces is dangerous. They are innovating. If we want to maintain the strategic edge, we must move faster, train harder, and think differently. This is our moment — the renaissance isn’t coming, it’s already here.”
Comments