The US military's elite special operators need a lot more 'truly cheap' weapons to fight the next big war, general says
US special operators need cheap weapons for future conflicts, and they need a lot of them.
The war in Ukraine has shown the value of having lots of cheap weapons, such as drones.
Operators and industry will need to work closely together to develop the right capabilities.
US special operators are going to need a bunch of cheap, expendable weapons to fight a fast-paced, high-intensity, and materially demanding future war, US military leaders said recently.
And those weapons are going to need to be able to be rapidly modified to adapt to ever-changing battlefield threats.
At the National Defense Industrial Association's US Special Operations Symposium last week, special operations leadership and other military officials spoke about the shift from counterterrorism and counterinsurgency to great-power competition and the challenges and opportunities that presents for the US military's elite special operations forces, or SOF.
Looking at a potential future conflict between the US and a major military power, like China or Russia, officials said a war like that would be fought across a range of contested domains, such as space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Dominating these warfighting domains will be decisive, they said.
Preparation for this fight has led to increased demand for innovation and the acquisition of new weapons and combat technologies.
Lt. Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, the director for Joint Fore development, pointed to Ukraine's success in crippling Russia's Black Sea Fleet with uncrewed surface vessels as an example. There are lessons to learn from the Ukraine war, he said, especially when it comes to drones.
The general said "there are a lot of cheap things you can do to have an asymmetric advantage."
US special operators are often among the first American troops to get their hands on new technologies, and they work closely with the defense industry to develop new systems.
Anderson said that he wants to see "technologies that are truly cheap in the hands of the operators" so that they can "experiment" with them and offer feedback.
The key to developing these capabilities, he said, is rapid-cycle iteration. Industry and operators should work closely to develop new systems, edit them based on observations, and switch out capabilities quickly for different missions, he suggested.
But these systems need to be affordable, Anderson said, capable of being bought on a large scale for relatively low cost.
That's been important in Ukraine, where soldiers burn through thousands of drones and where new drone companies are constantly building newer, cheaper hardware and updating software based on current battlefield challenges.
In recent years, the Pentagon has been moving to achieve mass through drone warfare, as seen in Ukraine. The Replicator Initiative, announced in 2023, is the Department of Defense's effort to streamline the development of uncrewed systems with key industry partners, with the goal of deploying thousands of multi-domain drones at speed and scale.
The biggest challenges, though, lie in how DoD obtains new systems and works with the defense industry. Similarly, technologies related to artificial intelligence, autonomy, uncrewed systems, and electronic warfare are moving at breakneck speed, meaning what is innovative today may be obsolete tomorrow.
Chris Brose, the chief strategy officer at Anduril Industries, said that a potential solution to this problem is the creation of flexible systems that can be updated quickly.
Brose said that Anduril's work with DoD on countering drones with US Special Operations Command largely began with trying to solve problems that operators were experiencing on the field.
"It started with units that were deploying," he said, with "capabilities that were not working, with threats that were outpacing them, with technology that was rapidly getting better but they were incapable of incorporating."
Those challenges led to an understanding that operators and industry need to work together and quickly, adjusting in real time in different locations against different threats.
While much can be learned from the war in Ukraine, there are still unanswered questions, especially about how AI will evolve and what humans will actually be needed for in certain combat roles. SOF leadership said that autonomous capabilities and AI may potentially change what roles operators play on the battlefield, such as flying drones.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Institutions own 29% of Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd (KLSE:KOSSAN) shares but private companies control 36% of the company
The considerable ownership by private companies in Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy 53% of the business is held by the top 5 shareholders Insiders own 14% of Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Every investor in Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd (KLSE:KOSSAN) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that private companies own the lion's share in the company with 36% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk). Meanwhile, institutions make up 29% of the company's shareholders. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd. See our latest analysis for Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing. As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Kossan Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd is the largest shareholder with 35% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 5.7% and 5.6%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Additionally, the company's CEO Kuang Sia Lim directly holds 2.8% of the total shares outstanding. Our research also brought to light the fact that roughly 53% of the company is controlled by the top 5 shareholders suggesting that these owners wield significant influence on the business. While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily. While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd. It is very interesting to see that insiders have a meaningful RM608m stake in this RM4.3b business. Most would say this shows a good degree of alignment with shareholders, especially in a company of this size. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 21% stake in Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. We can see that Private Companies own 36%, of the shares on issue. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company. It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer Recommends Royal Caribbean Cruises Over Viking Holding (VIK)
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Viking Holdings Ltd (NYSE:VIK) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. A caller asked for Cramer's thoughts on Viking Holdings Ltd (NYSE:VIK), and he replied: 'Okay, I like Viking, but I thought they were tepid when they came on, and therefore I'm going to send you to Royal. I think RCL is now the gold standard, and that's the one I want to own.' Viking (NYSE:VIK) provides transport services for travelers and offers tourism experiences that include guided tours and other activities for its guests. Moreover, on March 14, Cramer was bullish on the company as he said: 'Regular viewers know I am a big fan of the cruise lines… Viking's a unique player with an impressive focus on rich American baby boomers. We watched with glee as Viking stock glided higher and higher and higher throughout last year and even the first few weeks of 2025, eventually it peaked at 53 bucks and change in early February just before the market-wide sell-off. Since then, the stock's fallen back to $40, down roughly 25% from its highs just over a month ago… The cruise lines are different from other travel plays. They represent incredible value versus traditional vacation alternatives…For Viking in particular, we have a fresher company-specific catalyst. On Tuesday morning, the company reported an excellent quarter with in-line revenue and impressive 9-cent earnings beat off a 36-cent basis… Overall, VIK ranks 5th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of VIK as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
U.S., China reach deal to revive trade truce
June 11 (UPI) -- The United States and China have agreed to a framework that would revive last month's trade truce following two days of talks in London, negotiators announced Wednesday. The framework and agreement, struck last month in Geneva, must be approved by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping before it can take effect. "The two largest economies in the world have reached a handshake for a framework," U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters. "We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents." "The idea is we're going to go back and speak to President Trump and make sure he approves it. They're going to go back and speak to President Xi and make sure he approves it, and if that is approved, we will then implement the framework," Lutnick said. China's vice commerce minister told reporters the same information. "The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting," China's vice commerce minister Li Chenggang said Wednesday. While specifics of the deal were not revealed, Lutnick said both sides have agreed to roll back controls on exports that are vital to each country. Lutnick expressed optimism that that would include China's exports of rare earth minerals and magnets to the United States. "There were a number of measures the United States put on when those rare earths were not coming," Lutnick added. "You should expect those to come off, sort of as President Trump said, 'in a balanced way.'" After their phone call last week cooled tensions amid the escalating trade dispute, Trump said Xi had agreed to restart exports of rare earth minerals and magnets, which are critical to American manufacturing. Last month, the United States and China announced a 90-day pause on most of their tariffs. Under the agreement, the United States reduced its tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China reduced its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125% to 10%. The agreement was reached during trade negotiations in Geneva, where U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with their Chinese counterparts, including Vice Premier He Lifeng. Asian stocks were mostly up after Wednesday's announcement, as Mainland China's CSI 300 index advanced 0.77% higher. U.S. stock futures were initially flat as investors waited for more information on the trade talks. Bessent announced he would depart the negotiations, which could continue through Wednesday, if needed. Lutnick and Greer planned to remain in London.
