Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

“I’m extremely proud of the Space Force and all the good it has accomplished. But, as good as we are, as much as we’ve done, as far as we’ve come, it’s not enough. We are not yet optimized for Great Power Competition.”

~ Chief of Space Operations
Gen. Chance Saltzman

The establishment of the U.S. Space Force was a direct response to threats arising from Great Power Competition in the space domain. Nevertheless, our legacy roots leave us sub-optimized for the security environment confronting us today, and we must finish fine-tuning the service to continue meeting its National Defense Strategy responsibilities

In early 2024, the Department of the Air Force unveiled sweeping plans for reshaping, refocusing, and reoptimizing the Air Force and Space Force to ensure continued supremacy in their respective domains while better posturing the services to deter and, if necessary, prevail in an era of Great Power Competition. Through a series of 24 DAF-wide key decisions, four core areas which demand the Department’s attention will be addressed: Develop People, Generate Readiness, Project Power and Develop Capabilities.

The space domain is no longer benign; it has rapidly become congested and contested.

We must enhance our capabilities, develop Guardians for modern warfare, prepare for the high intensity fight, and strengthen our power projection to thrive and win in this new era of Great Power Competition.

Video by Staff Sgt. Raquel Birk

Meet 5th Armored Brigade Best OC/T Competition Team 5

5th Armored Brigade

Feb. 10, 2025 | 0:12

Meet 5th Armored Brigade Best Observer Controller/Trainer Competition Team 5, consisting of Capt. Peyton M. Cavanaugh, Fire Support Operations OC/T, and Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rios IV, Senior Field Artillery OC/T, both with Task Force Kodiak, 2nd Battalion, 362nd Field Artillery.

Cavanaugh, a Fairbanks, Alaska native, enjoys working with members of his unit and learning from their experiences. He finds it most rewarding when training units implement the feedback and advice provided to them, leading to mission success. He enjoys outdoor activities and was recently baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church.

Rios, an Abilene, Texas native, takes pride in making a difference in the readiness of deploying units, especially those deploying for the first time. He enjoys boxing, weightlifting, and proving to others than old men can not only keep up with the best, but surpass them.