Defense Strategies Institute’s 15th Annual Special Operations Force & Irregular Warfare Symposium will convene senior leaders, leading experts, and strategic decision makers from across the SOF community, regional combatant commands, the DoW, industry, and academia to examine the complexities of unconventional and hybrid warfare strategies, as well as the operational challenges currently facing the SOF enterprise. Discussions will explore force modernization, capability development, irregular warfare strategies, technology integration, and the partnerships required to ensure USSOF remains a globally deployed, high-impact force prepared to counter emerging threats and succeed across future operational environments.
Notice: No Press. No Recordings. Chatham House Rule.
Download the Agenda for the full line-up of speakers.
As global security threats continue to evolve, the demand for Special Operations Force (SOF) has increased dramatically, with presidential-directed missions rising by 200% and overall demand for SOF capabilities growing by as much as 300% over a five-year period. Maintaining the SOF enterprise’s strategic advantage requires rapidly adapting to the changing character of warfare while accelerating the integration of emerging technologies, innovative capabilities, and modern operational concepts.
As global security threats continue to evolve, the demand for Special Operations Force (SOF) has increased dramatically, with presidential-directed missions rising by 200% and overall demand for SOF capabilities growing by as much as 300% over a five-year period. Maintaining the SOF enterprise’s strategic advantage requires rapidly adapting to the changing character of warfare while accelerating the integration of emerging technologies, innovative capabilities, and modern operational concepts.
The 2026 SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium will bring together senior leaders and subject matter experts from across the SOF community to examine the current state of the SOF enterprise, the impact of evolving global conflicts, emerging operational challenges, and the technologies shaping the special operations. Discussions will explore force modernization, capability development, irregular warfare strategies, technology integration, and the partnerships required to ensure SOF remains a globally deployed, high-impact force prepared to counter emerging threats and succeed across future operational environments. Attendees will gain actionable insights into the priorities, challenges, and opportunities shaping the Special Operations enterprise and its ability to meet evolving mission demands.
DSI’s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Symposium’s content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds in US special operations and irregular warfare as well as key policy makers across military, federal government, IC, academia, and industry. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers.
Gain Education & Insight: Walk away with knowledge gained from our senior level speakers on some of the complex challenges facing the SOF community.
Build Partnerships: The agenda is designed to allow for ample networking opportunities and the ability to engage in constructive dialogue among all in attendance.
Influence: Help foster ideas! Share your own insight and knowledge during our interactive sessions. All attendees are encouraged to address our speaker faculty and each other with their questions, comments, or ideas.
DSI’s Symposium directly supports DoW and Federal Government priorities by providing a conduit for officials to efficiently reach audiences outside of their respective offices that directly impact their department’s mission success, at no charge to the government, and in an efficient expenditure of time.
DSI’s Symposium will provide a forum to address and improve internal and external initiatives, meet with and hear from partner organizations, disseminate vital capability requirements to industry, increase visibility within the larger community, and generally support their mission.
The Symposium is open and complimentary to all DoW and Federal employees, is considered an educational training forum, and is a widely attended gathering.
(Industry and academia members are charged a fee for admission.)
Notice: No Press. No Recordings. Chatham House Rule.
The SOF & Irregular Warfare Symposium provides opportunities including exhibit space, round table discussions, product demonstrations, and networking receptions. Download the Sponsorship and Exhibiting Prospectus Here.
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