Better targeting, lighter airframes and more firepower are on the docket.
From gloves to body armor, SOF expects to upgrade all their kit in the coming years.
From their largest to smallest aircraft, upgrades are needed for the next fight, Special Operations Command officials said.
Officials want kinetic and nonkinetic weapons for a variety of vessels.
There has been a 200% increase in SOF missions over the past three years, the defense secretary said.
VIDEOS Reporter Todd South delivers the latest news in military aviation from the annual Special Operations Forces Week in Tampa, Florida.
More Stories The new sniper rifle would replace two weapons currently in use. The device would work day or night as well as with existing night vision gear. The launcher addition to the SEAL boat would hold loitering munitions, drones or other payloads. A newly fielded vehicle and better dive gear are helping bridge the gap. The .338 caliber has been adopted for sniper use. This is its debut in machine guns. The Army suspended all Special Forces range activities for 72 hours following an accidental shooting on a range when live rounds were mixed in with blanks. Current upgrades aim to keep the helicopter flying until 2034. U.S. Special Operations Command has paused an ambitious program to make its MC-130J transport plane capable of water landings and takeoff. The history of special operations in the U.S. is replete with examples that demonstrate how vital this can be. A decision on whether Special Forces families will get a child development center at Camp "Bull" Simons, Florida, may arrive in the coming weeks. Special operations must continue counterterrorism and crisis response while also competing with peer adversaries such as Russia and China, experts said. What will the role of special operations be as the U.S. competes with China and Russia? The mission has shifted dramatically as the United States ratchets up competition in the frequency bands with peer competitors like Russia and China. And why not throw in some new explosives, too. Load More