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.

Merchant Tanker Torm Thunder Conducts High Level Fuel Alarm Testing

Joint Task Force Red Hill

Video by Sgt. Kyler Chatman

Oct. 26, 2023 | 0:42

Merchant tanker Torm Thunder conducts high level fuel alarm testing prior to receiving fuel from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Oct. 26, 2023. The testing is conducted prior to filling the tanker, to ensure all alarms are operational, in order to prevent overfilling. This is part of JTF-RH’s multi-layered approach to reduce risk. JTF-RH is in the fifth and final phase of its defueling plan, where JTF-RH along with Defense Logistics Agency Energy and Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor, are safely defueling the RHBFSF. This stage consists of defueling approximately 104 million gallons of fuel, with planned strategic pauses for safety checks, and transporting the fuel to various locations throughout the Pacific. JTF-RH continues to work in collaboration with state and federal regulators to ensure proper oversight throughout the defueling process. (DoD video by U.S. Army Sgt. Kyler Chatman) More