Special Operations Forces in Great Power Competition: A Policy Research Agenda for Operational Relevance and Value-Added Capability

For almost two decades, defence policy discussions on the employment of special operations forces (SOF) have focused on their role in the irregular fight typified by places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and regions farther afield. More to the point, SOF has been the proverbial “force of choice”[i] for the type of conflict countries like Canada and the United States found themselves embroiled in during the opening two decades of the 21st Century.[ii] However, the situation is changing.

More precisely, what was old is new again. The United States is stepping back from global leadership, China is testing the waters (every pun intended) and Russia is executing a continuous spoiler role in international politics. These features combine to create a condition of renewed competition between powerful countries; what is now being called ‘great power competition’.[iii] Given this shift, does SOF still enjoy the central role it did during the opening decades of the 21st Century? What considerations are needed to adapt SOF employment concepts to these new realities?