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.

Interview with Captain Caroline Locksmith

Marine Corps Recruiting Command

Video by Lance Cpl. Mitchell Collyer

Dec. 19, 2019 | 2:05

Interview with Capt. Caroline Locksmith, the assistant logistics officer at Marine Barracks Washington,during the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, December 19, 2019. AVCA was founded in 1981 to help advance the sport of volleyball and provide a professional network of individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and developing the sport. AVCA hosts its annual convention during the NCAA Division I Women’s National Championship and is the largest gathering of volleyball coaches in North America. The Marine Corps relationship with AVCA was initiated in 2015 with the goal of increasing awareness and positive perception of the Marine Corps within this influential community of coaches. (U.S. Marine Corps Video by Lance Cpl. Mitchell Collyer) More