SOF Week 2026 once again rallied the global special operations community around a shared mission: to combat complex and rapidly evolving threats.
For Fivecast teammates, the week was about more than showcasing technology. It was an opportunity to listen, learn, and double down on collective commitment to those operating on the edge of international defense.
Colleagues at the event embraced the opportunity to better understand that connection by reconnecting with longtime partners, hearing firsthand about mission challenges and exploring how AI-powered intelligence capabilities are shaping outcomes on the ground.
In this piece, they reflect on the most meaningful highlights from their time in Tampa.
doubling down on MISSION impact
For Rich Schafer, Fivecast’s US Public Sector Director of Accounts, SOF Week reinforced focus on the missions Fivecast is purpose-built to advance. Time together was invaluable to deepening relationships and ensuring Fivecast innovation aligns with SOF community needs.
“SOF Week is where you reconnect with the people Fivecast is built to enable. Conversations are grounded in real-world missions such as counterterrorism, force protection and strategic intelligence. It’s a reminder that what we do directly supports operators making critical decisions in high-stakes environments.”
STRENGTHENING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
For Jack Borthwick, Fivecast Account Director EMEA, SOF Week illustrated the importance of international partnerships throughout the special forces community.
“SOF Week is unique in how it brings the global community together. It’s an opportunity to meet and maintain relationships with friends, peers, partners and customers from across allied forces working toward shared security objectives.”
That dynamic underscores why personal connections are essential to ensuring interoperability, collaboration and shared success across multinational operations.
ATTACKING TODAY’S TOP CHALLENGES
For Fivecast Pre-Sales Engineer Jeff Fehmel, the most rewarding aspect was hearing directly from operators about the challenges they’re facing right now. Their perspectives are critical to product development and ensuring that Fivecast continues to deliver intelligence tools that match the demands and complexity of modern operations.
“You can’t replicate the value of hearing operators speak candidly about the complexity of their missions. Whether it’s the sheer volume of data or the speed at which decisions need to be made, those insights drive us to keep advance Fivecast’s capabilities.”
UNDERSTANDING REAL-WORLD IMPACT
For Tradecraft Advisor Sam Robinson, the highlight was hearing how Fivecast capabilities are already making a difference in the field. These discussions reaffirm the role Fivecast’s platform plays in enabling faster, more informed decision-making in time-sensitive environments.
“The most rewarding conversations were with people whose missions Fivecast capabilities can advance. Hearing what they need to uncover insights faster and act with confidence: that’s what it’s all about.”
CARRYING SOF WEEK MOMENTUM FORWARD
SOF Week 2026 reinforced the reality that innovation is most powerful when anchored by real-world impact.
For Fivecast, the week strengthened our resolve to:
- Stay deeply connected to the operator community
- Enable adaptation as mission challenges evolve
- Continue delivering intelligence capabilities that drive faster, more confident decisions
Fivecast is proud to stand alongside the global SOF community and committed to advancing the missions that matter most.
About SOF Week
SOF Week convenes members of the global Special Operations community an intensive week of collaboration, education and enablement. Supported jointly by U.S. Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation, it offers a gathering point where SOF operators, government leaders and industry partners can align around operational requirements, emerging technologies and strategic priorities to drive mission success.
About Fivecast
Fivecast delivers intelligence solutions built for clarity, powered by AI, and trusted to surface what matters. Engineered to solve complex intelligence challenges our platform cuts through digital noise to help those protecting nations, borders, businesses, and communities uncover critical insights – before risk becomes reality.
Trusted by agencies and enterprises across national security, law enforcement, defense, corporate security, and financial crime, Fivecast was born from collaboration between governments and research institutions. Headquartered in Australia with a global footprint, we support the world’s most critical missions.
Fivecast. Engineered for Defense Intelligence.
