October marked the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC)’s second anniversary since establishing full operating capacity in October 2022. Over the past 730 days, the IWC has generated significant accomplishments and partnerships that are in line with the Center’s overall mission and supporting lines of effort. The IWC was established to serve as the central mechanism for developing the Department of Defense’s […]
Irregular warfare (IW) is vital in today’s military planning. It’s complex and constantly changing, using methods that aren’t typical and adapting strategies as needed. Conventional warfare aims to fight and beat enemy forces. IW, however, works in messy political and social situations where standard rules of engagement don’t always fit. Because IW covers so many areas, the armed forces need to improve how they handle it. This means updating their policies, battle plans, teaching, and practice to meet IW’s demands. Policy needs to address new challenges like threat networks, information operations, terrorism, and cyber-attacks within a greater strategic framework.
The Department of Defense’s Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) hosted its second annual Irregular Warfare Colloquium, which took place on Sept. 26-27, 2024, at the AMA Conference Center in Arlington, VA. This pivotal event brought together scholars and subject matter experts from more than 15 universities across the U.S. and internationally to discuss topics related to irregular warfare and research. The […]
When Rambo Meets the Red Cross takes a critical look at the trifecta of U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF), their relationship with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and the beneficiaries of foreign aid. Stanislava Mladenova collects semi-structured interviews from actors on all three sides of the civil-military relationship to search for the answer to her central question: “Can SOF and NGOs be effective partners in low-intensity conflict?”
History is a matter of perspective; one of the best examples is American involvement in Latin America. The United States’ interest in Latin America is generally perceived to be centered upon gaining access to commodities or serving political and economic interests. It is argued that American economic involvement is of recent origin, a consequence of post-World War II policies establishing both the Pax Americana and the Open Door of universal access to resources.
In contemporary global security dynamics, the terminology used to describe military and strategic operations is crucial. The terms “irregular” and “warfare” often either fail to resonate with foreign partners and U.S. government interagency partners or raise red flags due to different organizational meanings, as they imply a state of conflict that is not necessarily present. This publication explores the shift from traditional concepts of Irregular Warfare (IW) to a more fitting term, “Defense Support to Strategic Competition,” to describe the Department of Defense’s (DoD) activities short of war in support of interagency organizations and foreign partners. Ultimately, various components within the DoD are capable of providing valuable assistance and support to interagency organizations to create enduring advantages in Strategic Competition. However, a barrier exists in understanding among organizations as to what “irregular warfare” is and how it can be applied in Competition and Crisis prior to an overt military conflict.
In modern warfare, United States (U.S.) military special operations frequently employ unconventional and irregular tactics, often operating in environments denied by opposition forces. Special Operations surgical teams (SOST) provide immediate medical care in these high-risk environments, with their success and safety heavily dependent on avoiding detection of any kind. However, the electronic medical equipment used, such as patient monitors and ventilators, emit electromagnetic radiation that adversaries can detect with sensors and analysis systems. As nations like Russia and China continue to enhance their electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, the need for robust countermeasures becomes increasingly critical.
Welcome to the monthly newsletter for the IWC. This newsletter is designed to keep our community up-to-date on the latest news and events happening within the organization. Please click here download a PDF version of the IWC Spotlight Newsletter.
In partnership with the Department of Defense’s Irregular Warfare Center (IWC), the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (OUSD(I&S) is scheduled to host its inaugural Intelligence Support to Irregular Warfare Symposium. This event will take place Oct. 29-31, 2024, at the U.S. Naval Institute Jack C. Taylor Conference Center in Annapolis, Maryland. This is the […]
The Department of Defense’s Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) and the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s (FPRI) Center for the Study of Intelligence and Nontraditional Warfare hosted a two-day IW Global War on Terrorism lessons learned since 9/11 conference, Sept. 17-18, 2024, at the U.S. Naval Institute’s Jack C. Taylor Conference Center in Annapolis, Md. This event brought together a community of […]