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. Daryl Bradford

Reel: Freedom Shield 24, engineers build mobile bridge, water gap crossing

100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

March 14, 2024 | 0:29

U.S. Army Soldiers from the 814th Multi-Role Bridge Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, and soldiers from the Republic of Korea Army, 5th Engineer Battalion, work together to secure a ramp to the interior piece of the combined Improved Ribbon Bridge/Standard Ribbon Bridge during Freedom Shield 24, at a training area in South Korea, March 14, 2024. An annual event, FS24, a holistic military program, integrates ground, air, and naval elements, enhancing readiness through realistic combat simulations, interoperability, and live exercises refining troops’ combat skills. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Staff Sgt. Daryl Bradford, 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)