The Jordanian Royal Guard await the arrival of King Abdullah II at the first day of the Special Operations Exposition in Amman, Jordan, prior to a major military demonstration of the country's special forces capability. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Some Jordanian Royal Guardsmen stand on a runway preparing to greet the King of Jordan's vehicle as it arrives at SOFEX. Jordan has held the expo 12 times every other year to bring special operators throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world together. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
The United States Special Operations Command commander Gen. Raymond Thomas arrives on the scene at SOFEX to witness the demonstration. He spoke at the Middle East Special Operations Commander Conference (MESOC) on May 7 just prior to the start of the exposition on how special operators can come together in the Middle East to better counter regional threats. He toured the show following the demonstration. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
King Abdullah II stands on a stage overlooking his guardsmen prior to the demonstration of his forces. King Abdullah has championed SOFEX over the years having commanded Jordan's Special Forces. He became a major general in 1998. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Against the backdrop of Amman, the Jordanian Royal Guard exist the demonstration area to clear the way for the mission to begin. To kick off the demonstration, a 21-gun salute rang out across the airfield. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Over the loud speakers, it is announced that insurgents are hiding in a village and have been found by security forces. Pathfinders drop in from an overcast sky, beginning the mission to take out the insurgent stronghold. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
A Jordanian UH-60 Mike-model Black Hawk utility helicopter lands on the outskirts of the simulated insurgent hideout to inject special operators to move in on the target. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Special forces prepare rappel from a UH-60 L-model Black Hawk above the roof of an insurgent infested hideout. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
As insurgents hide below, special forces, including a military working dog, stealthily drop to the roof from the UH-60L. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
The special forces begin their infiltration of the insurgents' lair from the ground and from the roof as a Black Hawk hovers over head. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Jordanian special forces search for insurgents throughout the building as a firefight ensues. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
A Jordanian SOF AH-1F Cobra provides cover to the operators on the ground during the mission to take out the insurgents. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
A Jordanian AH-6i Little Bird, which is also used prominently by U.S. Special Operations Forces, passes overhead as a firefight culminates on the ground with insurgents getting captured or killed. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
A Jordanian Super Puma flies over the action. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
A Jordanian Black Hawk looms overhead as it prepares to extract an injured SOF operator from the intense firefight below. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
After a wounded SOF operator is evacuated via a different Black Hawk, a unit prepares to move out after accomplishing the mission of driving insurgents out of their safe haven and capturing the survivors among them. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
With special operators in tow, the Black Hawk takes off over the Amman sky line. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
As the demonstration came to a close, Jordanian helicopters flew by bearing the flag of Jordan, the Jordanian special forces flag and a SOFEX flag. (Photo by Jen Judson/Defense News staff)
Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering land warfare for Defense News. She has also worked for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College.
