HQ$History - United States Special Operations Command

CV-22 Osprey
expense of other acquisitions. The CV-22 aircraft
program and the Advanced SEAL Delivery
System (ASDS) were among the first flagship
programs, and both of these programs have provided
additional capabilities for SOF. In June
2007, the ASDS was fielded and deployed, which
enhanced the USSOCOM Undersea Mobility
capabilities significantly. By February 2008,
USSOCOM had acquired and fielded eight CV-
22 aircraft; four were assigned to the 71st
Special Operations Squadron (SOS) at Kirtland
AFB, New Mexico, for flight crew training, and
8th SOS Hurlburt Field, received four operational
aircraft. The first operational deployment
for the 8th SOS CV-22s was planned for the fall
of 2008. The procurement program called for 50
CV-22 aircraft to be delivered to AFSOC by FY
2017.
During General Holland’s
tenure, USSOCOM enhanced SOF
by acquiring more weapons systems.
Because of the high OPTEMPO and
battle losses during the GWOT,
USSOCOM has had to procure more
SOF aircraft, fielding more AC-130s,
MC-130s, and MH-47s. Once
deployed, the CV-22 would provide
additional capability.
With thousands of SOF personnel
involved in daily combat with a
resourceful enemy, USSOCOM’s
acquisition process needed to adapt
to meet the evolving requirements of
SOF warriors. USSOCOM developed
an urgent deployment acquisition
process to provide rapid acquisition
and logistics support to meet combat
mission needs statements from
deployed SOF and those about to
deploy. Once a combat mission
needs statement was approved, the
command has acquired and fielded
advanced technology systems in as
little as seven days, and most capabilities
were delivered in less than
six months. The accelerated acquisition
process produced mobile electronic-warfare
jammers, target
video downlink capabilities for close
air support aircraft, anti-structural
grenades, and unmanned aerial
systems. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) continued
to be invaluable assets to SOF deployed
in support of GWOT missions. USSOCOM created
five UAS programs of record. These programs
included the small UAS (SUAS), a joint
program with the Army and USMC; a vehicle
craft UAS (VCUAS) program to meet SOF maritime
requirements; an expeditionary UAS
(EUAS) program; and a SOF medium altitude
long endurance tactical (MALET) program that
used two modified Air Force UAS – the Predator
MQ-1 and Reaper MQ-9. USSOCOM planned to
integrate intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance,
and targeting (ISR-T) technologies as
they matured for use within the programs of
record. Penetration of denied areas while maintaining
the element of surprise and reduced sig-
Soldiers recieved only minor injuries after this RG-31
was hit by an IED while on patrol
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