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.

Savannah Harbor Cannon

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District

Video by Cheri Dragos-Pritchard

June 14, 2023 | 6:32

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, recovered 19 Revolutionary War era cannon, some cannon fragments, and other artifacts through the deepening of the Savannah Harbor as part of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Most of the artifacts are now at Texas A&M’s Conservation Research Laboratory where they will undergo conservation treatments to prepare them for their final exhibit at the Savannah History Museum. The restoration process at Texas A&M could take up to 3-5 years, depending on the extent of treatments each cannon and other artifacts require. Currently, there are a few cannon and artifacts on display at the Savannah History Museum in the same condition they were when pulled from the river. Video created by: Michael L Jordon, Author/Historian/Filmmaker contracted by USACE for SHEP documentation. More