Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

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Department of the Air Force
 

 

 

 

“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 

Space Force & Air Force announce sweeping changes to maintain superiority amid Great Power Competition

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. Zelika Stewart
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2-12 Cav Tank Gunnery Table IV B-Roll Package
1st Cavalry Division
March 20, 2026 | 3:34
Tank crews assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, conduct a gunnery exercise with M1A2 Abrams tanks at Fort Hood, Texas, March 20–21, 2026. The exercise supports crew qualification and reinforces the U.S. Army’s priorities of readiness and lethality. (U.S. Army video by Staff Sgt. Zelika Stewart)
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Air Force Great Power Competition

 

 

 
Department of the Air Force