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. Shellby Matullo

Estonia FTD 2017

1st Combat Camera Squadron

Sept. 5, 2017 | 1:08

Ten A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, a MC-130J Commando II, a Virtual Interconnected Training Environment (VITE) and approximately 270 Airmen and associated equipment from bases across the United States and Europe will deploy to Amari Air Base, Estonia, Aug. 4-20 to participate in a forward training deployment with Estonia. The deployment is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve which ensures U.S. European Command has a ready, The A-10s and VITE from the 175th Wing, Warfield Air National Guard Base, Md., will train with multinational Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Combat Control Teams at Amari and Jagala, Estonia. The MC-130J is from the 352nd Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U. K., and a combat communications team will deploy from the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. While deployed, the A-10s will also train with the Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornets in Finland, Spanish Air Force F/A-18 Hornets in Estonia and multinational JTACs in Latvia. Flight operations will take place in Finnish, Estonian, Latvian and international airspace. This training will focus on maintaining joint readiness while building interoperability capabilities.(U.S Air Force video shot by SSgt Shellby Matullo)