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 Greg Mason

Patriot 21 MEDEVAC Exercise

Fort McCoy Multimedia Visual Information Branch

June 15, 2021 | 11:13

Soldiers assigned to the 2-151st Aviation Regiment, Delta Company, Mississippi and Louisiana Army National Guard, run MEDEVAC (medical evacuation) operations training using UH-72 Lakotas during PATRIOT 2021 at Fort McCoy WI. The civilians receiving the medial evacuation are part of the Health and Human services National Disaster Medial System (NDMS) from Wisconsin. NDMS Disaster Medical Assistance Teams provide high-quality rapid-response medical care when public health and medical emergencies overwhelm state, local, tribal, or territorial resources in the aftermath of natural disasters. PATRIOT 21 is a training exercise designed for military members to work alongside civilian emergency management and first responders in the same manner they would during a natural disaster so that in the case of a real-world disaster all agencies can maximize their response efforts, provide necessary resources to the communities affected and save more lives.