Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

GPC Key Decisions

USAF Case for Change

Air Force FAQ for Reoptimizing Great Power Competition

“We need these changes now; we are out of time to reoptimize our forces to meet the strategic challenges in a time of great power competition.”

~ Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall

The United States faces a time of consequence marked by significant shifts in the strategic environment. To remain ready, the U.S. Air Force must change.

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.

Today, the Air Force once again finds itself at a critical juncture—an era of Great Power Competition marked by a new security environment, a rapidly evolving character of war, and a formidable competitor. This new era requires understanding its challenges and the attributes needed to succeed.

Embracing change is not a choice; it is a necessity. The Air Force must “reoptimize” into an enterprise prepared for high-end conflicts and long-term strategic competition.

High-Performance Computing + Artificial Intelligence – Machine Learning + Cybersecurity = Point of Need Solutions - Branded

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

Video by Marisa Gaona

June 4, 2025 | 3:36

At the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory, researchers are shaping the factory of the future — where artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), high-performance computing and cybersecurity come together to transform mission-critical manufacturing and operations.

From real-time, AI-powered monitoring of additive manufacturing processes to digital twin technology and closed-loop machine control, ERDC’s work is driving a new era of secure, on-demand production in support of national defense.

Whether on an aircraft carrier or forward operating base, the ability to design and produce mission-essential components at the point of need is no longer a future vision — it’s becoming a reality.

Learn how ERDC is engineering the future of manufacturing, one breakthrough at a time. More