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 Michael Tate

Views From the Field: How Government Leadership Development Researchers Leverage Learning Sciences

Air University Public Affairs

Dec. 7, 2023 | 55:38

Dr. Meghan Huntoon, Dr. James Daughtery, Dr. Greg Ruark, Dr. Stefanie Shaughnessy, & Dr. Evan Hughes

Effective leaders are developed over their military careers so that when they step into roles of increasing responsibility and impact, they are prepared to successfully lead. Fueling this development is learning. Leaders must learn new skills, strategies, and information as they develop and grow over time. This learning takes place across instructional and operational environments, as well as through self-directed developmental practices. Learning is key to leader development. To better understand, develop, and create effective leader development tools, it is critical that we discuss how the U.S. Army considers learning research to create effective leader development tools. In this panel discussion, we bring together government researchers studying leader development to discuss the learning processes that are foundational to leader development research within the Army and civilian workforces.