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 Senior Airman Aaron Brown

2016 Kirtland Air Show

Joint Force Headquarters - New Mexico National Guard

June 4, 2016 | 1:13

Kirtland Air Force Base celebrates its 75th anniversary by putting on its first air show in five years.

2016 marks Kirtland Air Force Base’s 75th birthday. To celebrate, the base put on a two-day air show June 4th and 5th. The show featured aircraft from modern fighters to World War II bombers, and just about everything in between. Demonstrations filled the air – including stunt flyers, legacy flights, a skydiving demonstration from Wings of Blue, and even a comedy act from Kyle Franklin.

Food stalls crowded one end of the flight line, while static displays, like two of the Air Force’s largest aircraft, the C-5 and DC-10, filled up the other. On both days the flight line came alive with thousands of spectators as the Air Force put its power on full display.

This air show is the first on Kirtland in five years, and if the participation is any indicator, it may not be the last.

From Kirtland Air Force Base, Senior Airman Aaron Brown reporting.