On July 12, the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has assembled two (2) versions of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Capability and Technology Interest Items list: a Secret list and a subset at the Unclassified level. Both lists are available for release.
The JSOC mission is to conduct studies; training; exercises; research, development, testing, and evaluation; and acquisition and procurement to ensure interoperability among SOF, general purpose forces, and interagency and foreign partners. JSOC has assigned and attached subordinate units and may deploy to support Geographic Combatant Commander’s training, exercises, activities, and operations.
It is JSOC’s desire to inform and influence industry’s internal investment decisions in areas that address SOF’s most sensitive and urgent interest areas. Many in industry have demonstrated expertise, capacity, funding, and a desire to better understand and invest in SOF unique interest areas.
Factors that make this unique collaboration opportunity attractive include:
- Increasing Military Budget Austerity– SOF is a judicious transition partner whose future resourcing is among the most well-preserved of the military services. It is JSOC’s desire to improve collaboration in an era where budget austerity tends to erect barriers to open communication.
- Intellectual Property(IP) – The commercialization of dual-use (government/ commercial) technology can reduce costs to the government, but government contracting IP clauses can restrict industry’s ability to capitalize on their own IP. The proposed collaboration model preserves and protects industry’s ownership of their intellectual property.
Why does it matter?
The technical advantage of US Special Operations is both critical and time sensitive. The time involved in the formal Requirements, Contracting and Acquisition processes can delay the identification, development, demonstration and fielding of cutting-edge capabilities and negatively affect that technical advantage. Teaming with problem solvers early can mitigate process delay and help SOF maintain our technical advantage and provide our industry partners with unique insight.
The Capability and Technology Interest Items list includes multiple interest items in each of the following categories:
- Advanced Analytics (AA)
- Breaching (BR)
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE)
- Communications
- Contested Area Situational Awareness
- Electronic Warfare (EW)
- Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD)
- Human-Machine Teaming (HMT)
- Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
- Power and Energy (P&E)
- Scalable Effects Engagement (SEE)
- Signature Management (SM)
- Situational Awareness (SA)
- Soldier Survival (SS)
- Target Engagement (TE)
JSOC plans to provide industry representatives with several engagement options including, but not limited to, submitting responses to the SOCOM Broad Area Announcement (BAA), submitting applications to participate in SOCOM Technical Experimentation (TE) events, and entering into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with SOCOM/JSOC.
The Unclassified 2021 JCTE Interest Items list is available for download from the Vulcan website located at: https://vulcan-sof.com.
Review full information about the JCTE Interest Items list, including instructions for accessing the classified list.
Source: SAM
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