US, Israel, Middle East partners aligning battlefield technologies

U.S. Special Operations Command Central is working with Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel to align battlefield technologies, Army Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers III said at Special Operations Forces Week 2026 in Tampa, Fla.

During a panel, Jeffers said future conflicts will require allied special operations forces to integrate quickly and operate with compatible systems, as militaries expand their use of low-cost autonomous weapons and drones, according to the Pentagon.

“Things are going to happen at a speed [where] human relationships are going to be the thing that gets you [into the fight], but it’s not going to let you execute and win,” he said. “And we’re going to need partnerships that include all of those trust aspects.”

“But then, on the outside of that, you’re going to need to be able to go to any one of these partners, and we’re going to have to be able to scale quickly,” he added.