Jordan hosts the 10th Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference
UNIPATH STAFF Photos by the Jordan Armed Forces
It takes more then tactical prowess for modern special operations forces to be successful in the digital age. The rapid evolution of the battlefield has forced special operators to engage opponents not just on the ground but in a cyber realm where terror financiers and violent extremists do much of their dirty work.
The chance to discuss old threats and new challenges brought thousands of multinational military officials and security experts to Jordan’s 10th Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX) in May 2014. It was an opportunity to build relationships, discuss and solve shared challenges and absorb the latest tactics, techniques and technology to counter terrorism and improve homeland security.
“Jordan has nurtured many success stories over the years. As a nation with limited resources in one of the most challenging, turbulent, yet strategic regions in the world, we continue to make gains and confront our complex challenges with pride, professionalism and resolve,” SOFEX Managing Director Amer Tabbaa said. “SOFEX is just one of those success stories. Every two years, SOFEX brings together key world leaders from regional and international governments and militaries with industry experts from every corner of the globe. We all meet here in Jordan to nurture and strengthen relations, share best practices and develop partnerships in promoting peace and providing security for all our citizens.”
His Majesty Jordan’s King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein sponsored and attended SOFEX, which included displays of the latest innovations in special forces technology, tactical demonstrations by the Jordan Armed Forces and an air show by Jordan’s Royal Falcons.
SOFEX Chairman His Royal Highness Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein called SOFEX the largest defense exhibition in the world and the only one in the region that specializes in SOF. “It is the best place to showcase the most developed technology of defense and special operations forces,” he told the Jordanian News Agency Petra.
At King Abdullah I Air Base in Marka, just outside Amman, thousands of SOFEX attendees examined an array of new military hardware, such as a mini unmanned aerial vehicle quietly buzzing the 75,000-square-meter site. The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau, an independent government entity with the Jordan Armed Forces, unveiled some of its latest projects. They included the Stallion II light armored vehicle, promoted as a personnel carrier, and the AC-235 light gunship aircraft designed for surveillance and reconnaissance.
But such technological exhibitions were only one piece of SOFEX. The event kicked off with the seventh Middle East Special Operations Commanders Conference (MESOC) in Amman, attended by 600 delegates from 58 countries.
One theme of the MESOC discussions was that while forces must adapt to new technology to defeat evolving threats, they must remain committed to the elements that have historically made SOF operators formidable opponents. Advanced training, professionalism and the ability to solve problems in any situation must continue as an important part of SOF’s makeup.
“The digital age will not change the fundamental nature of special forces,” United Arab Emirates Special Operations Commander Col. Musallam Mohammed Alrashedi said during his presentation. “We will continue to focus on core skills.”
Alrashedi urged SOF commanders to remain adaptable to handle covert operations and stability operations. Forces must better understand the human terrain of an environment and remain open to using unconventional tools and tactics, such as working with trained dolphins to promote maritime security, he said.
Saudi Arabian Prince Sultan bin Khaled al Faisal, former commander of the Royal Saudi Navy Special Forces, chaired one of the conference panels. His military accomplishments include being instrumental in strengthening and modernizing his country’s naval special forces. He also helped define the SOF mission as part of the anti-piracy task forces operating in the Gulf of Aden.
SOF operations at sea are integral to stopping criminals and terrorists from trafficking in people, drugs and weapons — all of which undermine security and the rule of law. SOF and other maritime forces are vital for clearing international shipping lanes of underwater mines and pirates for the benefit of trade and commerce.
Stopping terror financing is another important focus for SOF. “Money is the engine that drives terrorist acts,” said Brig. Gen. Moustafa Al Nawasrah, Jordanian Joint Special Operations commander. “The first step is to stop money being used this way.”
Militaries must thwart the convergence of terrorist and criminal networks, he said, citing the Syrian crisis as an example of how these groups exploit instability and lack of governance. “In the long run, this will have serious impacts on regional and international security,” Gen. Moustafa said.
Additionally, SOF must address the very ideology that allows terrorism and extremists to recruit new members and receive public support, he said. Militaries must work with the media, government and religious leaders to counter terrorist propaganda through information operations, he said.
The importance of information operations made its way into many of the presentations. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook or the BBC, the military must regard media as part of the battlefield, said Brig. Gen. Aref al Zaben, general director and military commandant of the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center. Providing information to the public is one of the many instruments of national power. “Whoever will win the populace will win the battle,” Gen. Aref said.
Another theme repeated during SOFEX was the importance of building relationships.
“Terrorism knows no boundaries,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Nagata, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Central. That is why it’s important for SOF to build relationships across the world, so that partners can rely on each other for advice, perspective and to share information.
“Fighting well is not the same thing as winning,” Nagata said. “And dialogue is sometimes better than a firefight.” By working together, militaries can avoid situations where they may win the battle, but lose the war. They can also leverage the expertise and knowledge of others to sometimes avoid a conflict.
“We all have the right to live in peace. To achieve that, we will have to work very hard together,” said Jordanian Maj. Gen. Omar Al Khaldi, chief of staff of strategic planning.
“We need to learn from each other.”
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