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 Tech. Sgt. Treven Cannon

Air National Guard Combatives Course at TEC

I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

Jan. 16, 2026 | 2:23

The I.G. Brown Training and Education Center at McGhee Tyson ANGB, nestled in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, served as the ideal location to host the first Air National Guard Combatives Course—a critical step toward building an ANG-specific combatives training program. From 12–16 January 2026, ANG Security Forces Defenders endured 10–12 hour training days focused on developing sound and ethical decision-making under high-stress conditions. The course emphasized verbal resolution, de-escalation, and proven unarmed combatives techniques, culminating in practical testing and certification as Basic Combatives Instructors. Thanks to outstanding coordination with the TEC, the course seamlessly integrated academics, combatives training, and lodging, creating a cost-effective, no-frills TDY designed to efficiently certify future instructors. This inaugural course marks a significant milestone for the Air National Guard—providing Defenders with the skills needed to mitigate potential threats through verbal resolution, de-escalation, and achieving compliance, better preparing them to protect themselves and others.