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.

Hurricane Idalia-868th Engineering Company Route Clearance-Story

107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Video by Sgt. Marc Morgenstern

Aug. 28, 2023 | 2:23

Hurricane Idalia was a Category 3 storm when it made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast with 125 mile per hour winds knocking down trees and power lines. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis activated approximately 5,500 Florida National Guard soldiers to assist with the storm's preparation and recovery efforts, and among those activated was the Florida Army National Guard's 868th Engineer Company based out of Live Oaks, Florida. These soldiers have been tasked with clearing roads of this fallen debris and vegetation by utilizing heavy machinery and chainsaws.

Florida Army National Guard 868th Engineer Company's Platoon Sergeant Staff Sergeant Steven Knipp has drilled with his unit in Live Oak, Florida for 10 years and is proud to assist a community with which he feels a strong connection.

The Florida National Guard is part of a larger team and working closely with our civilian partner agencies. The FLNG stands ready to assist the people of Florida. More