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.

The Story of the Battle of Cranberry Creek

27th Public Affairs Detachment

Video by Staff Sgt. Travis Fontane

Sept. 8, 2023 | 30:03

Roger Fulton, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and author, shared his story about the Battle of Cranberry Creek that took place in 1813 while visiting LeRay Masion Fort Drum, New York, on Sept. 8, 2023. Following the battle, the Daughters of the American Revolution installed three polished granite markers on the shore of Cranberry Creek in memory of the fallen American soldiers. However, over time, the memorial was forgotten and became overgrown. When writer Roger Fulton learned of this, he researched the battle and wrote a series of articles for the local paper in Alexandria Bay, NY. Those articles led to a collaborative effort by state and local authorities and the Alexandria Bay American Legion Post members to create a formalized memorial site to honor the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the battle. More