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.

DC M&RA testifies before Senate Armed Services Committee, highlights enduring manpower successes

HQMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs

Video by Cpl. Enos Jimenez

April 9, 2025 | 3:27

Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs, delivers opening remarks before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Personnel, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., April 9, 2025. During his testimony, Borgschulte underscored the Marine Corps’ unwavering commitment to lethality, warfighting excellence, and talent retention—ensuring combat-credible forces remain poised to meet global demands at a moment’s notice. He attributed the Corps’ continued success in recruiting and retaining tough, smart, and capable Marines to its disciplined culture, uncompromising standards, and deep sense of purpose. These qualities, he noted, not only sustain the Marine Corps’ legacy of excellence but also secure its future as a force ready to fight and win in the most challenging environments. More