A Gray Zone Option for Integrated Deterrence: Special Operations Forces (SOF)

In a speech delivered on April 30, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reaffirmed that deterrence is still the foundation of American defense, but that with the current operating environment, deterrence must incorporate all elements of national power. His concept of integrated deterrence goes far beyond the traditional nuclear and conventional military deterrence, encompassing a wider range of capabilities and stakeholders.1 An understudied and under-researched element of this integrated deterrence idea is the role of special operations forces (SOF) as an essential component of a multi-layer set of deterrence options for a nation-state. The inclusion of SOF in deterrence derives from its utility operating in the gray zone, defined as the region of “…competitive interactions among and within state and non-state actors that fall between the traditional war and peace duality. 

They are characterized by ambiguity about the nature of the conflict, opacity of the parties involved, or uncertainty about the relevant policy and legal frameworks.”2 This gray zone setting frequently occurs prior to actual war and is a natural area for creating deterrent effects in the mind of an adversary. The inclusion of SOF in deterrence efforts is counterintuitive given that most SOF activities are clandestine by nature and purposefully hidden from public view to preserve secrecy and safeguard specialized tactics, techniques, and procedures. However, an appropriate and calculated level of visibility on SOF activities can supplement other types of measures in enhancing deterrent effects. Additionally, since special operations formations conduct tactical and operational level actions that typically have strategic outcomes, they would logically be valuable contributors to national level deterrence efforts. This article provides a brief theoretical foundation and working definition for deterrence before delving into the practical use of SOF for deterrence using North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) SOF doctrine as a framing mechanism. The examination offers examples of SOF deterrence activities carried out within the three NATO SOF missions of military assistance (MA), special reconnaissance (SR), and direct action (DA). It then considers the risks and opportunities of using SOF for deterrence efforts. The objective of the article is to deliver a contribution to national security policymakers and military leadership that stimulates their practical thinking on the application of SOF in a field with sparse literature and minimal research.