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 Seaman Jalon Lipford

USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) Decommissioning Ceremony

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)

Sept. 25, 2025 | 01:12:52

On Sep. 25, 2025, USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, held a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk.Named after the Battle of Philippine Sea, a decisive World War II naval air engagement near the Mariana Islands, the Philippine Sea was commissioned in Portland, Maine on March 19, 1989. After supporting a multitude of humanitarian and operational missions spanning Operation Allied Force in the Adriatic to Operation Enduring Freedom, the warship completes its active service of more than 36 years.