US Cyber and Special Ops Now Central to Modern Warfare

Opening a Senate hearing on the posture of US Special Operations Command and Cyber Command, Senator Roger Wicker said recent missions had marked "a watershed moment for American military power," noting that cyber capabilities were now embedded from the outset of military planning.

"Cyber threats are immediate, persistent, and they are escalating every day," Wicker said, adding that adversaries were targeting critical infrastructure and government networks while advancing their capabilities.

Senator Jack Reed said the hearing came "two months since President Trump launched the war with Iran," with both special operations and cyber forces "deeply engaged in this conflict." He said these units had played "a major role in enabling combat operations, conducting information warfare and providing intelligence support."

Defence officials underscored the evolving nature of warfare, where cyber and physical operations are increasingly fused. Katherine Sutton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for cyber policy, said adversaries were now "pre-positioning disruptive capabilities inside our nation's critical infrastructure."

"This strategic shift from exploitation to effects aims to disrupt military deployments and sow chaos in crisis or conflict," she said, warning that threats like Volt Typhoon represent "a significant and persistent threat to our national security."

Artificial intelligence is accelerating this shift, Sutton added, calling it "a powerful force multiplier" that increases "the speed, scale, and sophistication" of attacks.

General Joshua Rudd, head of Cyber Command, said the US had conducted more than 8,000 cyber missions in 2025, a 25 per cent increase from 2020, with even higher activity expected this year. He stressed that cyber operations are now integral to joint military action, citing operations such as Absolute Resolve and Epic Fury as examples of "cyber and kinetic operations working seamlessly."

Special operations leaders said their forces remain heavily deployed across multiple theatres. Admiral Frank Bradley said the US faces a reality of "simultaneity," managing threats from China, Russia, Iran, terrorism and criminal networks at the same time.

"We do not have the luxury of focusing on only a single goal or mission," Bradley said, adding that demand for special operations forces is higher than ever.

Officials also acknowledged strain on personnel and resources. Reed warned that high operational tempo could be "unsustainable," while Wicker raised concerns that cyber forces are "working overtime" without sufficient capacity to replace them.

To address these gaps, the Pentagon is advancing "Cybercom 2.0," a major overhaul aimed at improving recruitment, training and retention of cyber personnel. Sutton said the initiative seeks to build "domain mastery and specialised skills" across the force.

Lawmakers from both parties stressed the need to maintain technological superiority, particularly in artificial intelligence and advanced cyber capabilities, warning that losing this edge would be "unacceptable."

The hearing also highlighted growing concerns over election security, critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and the increasing role of allies in countering global threats.

- IANS