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. Krystal England

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BROLL: US, Kenya forces strengthen tactical readiness during Justified Accord 2026

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

March 2, 2026 | 1:24

U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, and Kenya Defence Forces train on react-to-contact drills during Justified Accord 2026 at the KDF School of Infantry, Isiolo, Kenya, March 2, 2026. The training enhanced small-unit tactics and increased multinational interoperability in support of humanitarian assistance and crisis response.

JA26 prepares regional partners for United Nations and African Union missions, and builds readiness for the U.S. joint force. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), and hosted in Djibouti, Kenya, and Tanzania, this year’s exercise incorporates personnel from approximately 15 nations. Justified Accord 2026 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest exercise in East Africa. (U.S. Air Force video by Staff Sgt. Krystal England)