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

2-218 FA: Firepower and Precision at JRTC

Oregon National Guard Public Affairs Office

July 20, 2024 | 2:24

Experience the thunderous might of the 2nd Battalion, 218th Field Artillery Regiment, at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Johnson, Louisiana July 20, 2024.

Acting Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Derek Hotchkiss of 2-218 FA provides insights into the unit's unique capabilities and critical role in supporting the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Hotchkiss discusses the value of ongoing training as the unit sharpens its skills at one of the Army's premier training facilities, preparing for its upcoming overseas deployment.

Witness live-fire exercises featuring:
2-218 FA Soldiers operating M777 howitzers
Hawaii National Guard's Bravo Battery, 1-487 FA firing M119 howitzers
This dynamic combination of Oregon and Hawaii National Guard artillery units showcases the flexible and integrated firepower available to support the 41st IBCT in future operations.

Brig. Gen. Alan Gronewold, The Adjutant General of Oregon, emphasizes that unique training opportunities like this make the Oregon National Guard the "service of choice for Oregonians."

(US Army National Guard video by Maj. W. Chris Clyne with contributing footage by Spc. Frank Ritchey, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)