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 Petty Officer 3rd Class Charlotte Dudenhoeffer

Ronald Reagan and Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups steam in formation with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) first-in-class helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga (DDH 181) during Multi-Large Deck Event

USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76)

Nov. 7, 2023 | 1:03

PHILIPPINE SEA (Nov. 7, 2023) Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), steam in formation with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) first-in-class helicopter destroyer, JS Hyuga (DDH 181), as Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers, USS Antietam (CG 54) and USS Robert Smalls (CG 62), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Kidd (DDG 100), during the Multi-Large Deck Event (MLDE) in the Philippine Sea, Nov. 7. Ronald Reagan is participating in the bilateral MLDE, which features the ships and aircraft of JMSDF Escort Flotilla 3, as well as the U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 1 and Carrier Strike Group 5. MLDE is a multi-domain event that grows the already strong partnership and interoperability that exists between the JMSDF and U.S. Navy today. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Charlotte Dudenhoeffer)