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 Maj. Wayne Clyne

741 BEB DEMO Range

41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team

Nov. 4, 2021 | 1:28

This video shows B company 741st Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB), Oregon Army National Guard, conducted a demolition range on 4 Nov, 2021 at Yakima Training Center, Wash. to build confidence and skills in preparing and detonating explosive charges. The charges they used were C4 plastic explosives and M1A1E2 Bangalore torpedos primarily initiated with shock tube. A shock tube initiator is a non-electric means of detonating explosives from a distance consisting of a small-diameter hollow plastic tubing to transport an explosive shock wave to a blasting cap. Combat engineers use these initiators and explosives mainly for breaching lanes through enemy defenses. The 741 BEB trains regularly to stay proficient in this highly technical warfighting task.

(U.S. National Guard Video by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs)