ARLINGTON, VA — As the landscape of global security shifts increasingly toward “gray zone” conflicts and strategic competition, the Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) is rapidly expanding its Irregular Warfare Global Network (IWGN). This groundbreaking initiative is designed to serve as a central force multiplier for the Department of War (DoW), aiming to modernize how the United States and its international partners address unconventional challenges.
The IWGN represents a strategic departure from traditional military networks by fostering a “whole-of-society” approach. Through its system of Functional Area Networks (FANs), the IWC is uniting military professionals, interagency experts, academics, and private sector leaders to stay ahead of emerging threats that fall short of conventional war.
At the heart of the IWGN are the Functional Area Networks (FANs). These specialized groups focus on critical vulnerabilities and operational domains where adversaries often seek to gain an advantage. According to the IWC, these networks are designed to be adaptive, with new FANs arising as the global community identifies fresh challenges.
“The FANs are a relatively new concept developed by the IWC to address global challenges in irregular warfare (IW). They are essentially smaller, mission-focused networks that are broken down by functions of IW or priorities of the administration,” said Nathalie Lorentzen, IWC Functional Area Network Program Manager. “These networks bring together experts from the DoW, other government agencies, the private sector, academia, and international partners to enhance collaboration and capabilities in the field of IW.”
Key networks currently active within the IWGN include:
-Medical Support to IW: This network focuses on medical operations in austere and contested environments. It has made headlines by deploying cross-functional teams to Eastern Europe to train civilian and military doctors in providing care under extreme conditions. -Contested Logistics & Sustainment: Recognizing that modern adversaries target supply lines both abroad and within the U.S. homeland, this network seeks to solve logistical challenges in “denied” environments, ensuring that forces remain lethal and supported even when traditional infrastructure is compromised.
-Operations in the Information Environment (OIE): Tasked with answering how the U.S. wins the “cognitive fight,” the OIE network synchronizes psychological operations, cyberspace activities, and military deception to counter foreign disinformation and malign influence.
-Defense of the Homeland: Comprising professionals from both defense and law enforcement sectors, this group focuses on “deterrence by denial.” Recent initiatives have addressed vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, such as the national energy grid and transportation networks.
-Emerging Technology: This network explores how advancements in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and other cutting-edge tools can be leveraged in asymmetric conflict, ensuring the DoW is not technologically outpaced by non-state actors or peer competitors.
-Threat Finance and Economic Levers (TFEL): By bringing together intelligence and financial experts, this network aims to identify and exploit the economic levers and financial networks used by adversaries to fund irregular activities.
The expansion of the IWGN comes on the heels of a highly productive 2025 for the IWC. In its most recent annual summary, the Center reported conducting over 61 major event, training over 1,100 U.S. personnel and participation from 55 allied and partner nations.
“The true impact of these networks lies in the opportunities they create,” said Lorentzen. They are designed to break down silos and foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective problem-solving. IW exceeds the capabilities of any single organization; these networks amplify effectiveness by uniting a diverse group of experts.” Ultimately, she added that this environment allows for the rapid sharing of ideas, the identification of gaps in doctrine and funding, and the ability to quickly mobilize resources to support partner nations and other agencies.
To support these networks, the IWC has integrated the IWGN’s insights into a growing catalog of educational resources. These include the flagship IW 101 course now a mandatory prerequisite for many special operations students and the newly launched IW 110: IW Approaches for Homeland Security and Defense.
These courses aim to professionalize the irregular warfare community by providing a common language and doctrinal framework for military and civilian personnel alike. Furthermore, the ongoing virtual FAN speaker series provides a platform for experts to convene and discuss relevant Irregular Warfare challenges.
The IWC continues to invite subject matter experts and organizations to contribute to these networks. Professionals interested in joining a Functional Area Network or seeking more information can contact the Center via their official portal at dsca.iwc-fan@mail.mil. In the upcoming months the IWC will feature each individual network, highlighting their work within the IW community on the global stage.
“The networks are designed to be adaptive, with new FANs being created as new needs and challenges are identified,” said Lorentzen. “The overarching goal is to create a unified, “whole-of-government” approach to irregular challenges.”
In this six-part feature series we will be breaking down all five FANs to understand their mission, and impact on the IW global landscape.
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