Reoptimization for Great Power Competition

GPC Key Decisions

USAF Case for Change

SecAF Memo

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.

Dr. Helena Kim - How to Train Your Dragon (Power, Ego, Needs)

Air University Public Affairs

Video by Airman 1st Class Charles Welty

March 5, 2020 | 21:22

Dr. Helena Kim - How to Train Your Dragon (Power, Ego, Needs)

LEDx is a leadership event unlike any other. Building upon the success of last year's inaugural event, LEDx 3.0 looks to bring together a diverse cohort of civilian and military professionals who share a passion for leadership in all its forms, focused on the topic of "Finding Purpose at the Intersection of Leadership, Strategy, and Innovation." LEDx differs from other leadership events in that it is designed around the 'eXperience,' where participants are just as likely to learn from the formal speakers as they are from each other. This year's speakers and topics were chosen to present participants with various perspectives on leadership, from which to challenge their own assumptions and reframe the leadership challenges unique to themselves and their organizations.

LEDx is intentionally unorthodox in terms of its format. Built around a keynote address to begin and end each day, the rest of the schedule is focused on TED-style stage talks matched with smaller group speaker engagements in a "Lab" like setting. Apart from the keynote speakers, participants can build their daily schedules to match their interests. With food trucks, outdoor seating, and live music on site, the planned activities are just one part of the LEDx experience. When not engaged in one of the formal events, participants are encouraged to continue the conversation and share their thoughts on what "Finding purpose at the Intersection of Leadership, Strategy, and Innovation" means to them. More