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.

A Company 1-153rd Returns From Operation Spartan Shield

Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs Office

Video by John Oldham

April 6, 2024 | 1:47

CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Nearly 100 Arkansas National Guardsmen assigned to Alpha Co., 1-153rd Infantry Battalion, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, returned here April 6 after an 11-month deployment to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

The Guardsmen served as a quick-reaction force to help respond to emergencies and potential threats throughout the region. Operation Spartan Shield builds partner capacity in the Middle East to promote regional self-reliance and increase security among partner nations.

“These Guardsmen have served their state and nation with honor and distinction,” said Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, Arkansas’ adjutant general. “Being away from one’s family and loved ones is never easy, and we appreciate their sacrifice and service to do their part to help keep our nation safe. We also appreciate the steadfast support of their employers, and their family members who sacrificed while they were away.”

The Guardsmen departed Arkansas for their mobilization station at Fort Bliss, Texas, on May 26, 2023. They returned to Fort Bliss for demobilization on March 25, 2024. More