According to the US Air Force website, the US Air Force recently released the "Integrated Force Design" document (hereinafter referred to as the document). This document is set against the backdrop of great power competition, emphasizing the optimization and integration of military resource structure, promoting personnel and combat capabilities to adapt to changes in war, and enhancing the US Air Force's winning advantage in future battlefields. The three types of tasks complement each other, and the combination of remote fire control and agile short-range systems has greatly changed the traditional combat mode. In order for the US Air Force to maintain its competitive advantage, it must change its thinking mode. To this end, the US Air Force has introduced the concept of "integrated forces" transformation, establishing a force architecture that can respond to complex threats based on three different mission areas. The first type of task requires the US Air Force to deploy troops and generate combat effectiveness in a strong adversarial environment under sustained attack; The second type of mission requires the US Air Force to operate in defensive areas outside enemy firepower and provide military support to the first type of mission at any time; The third type of mission requires the US Air Force to deploy flexible mobile forces globally to respond to a range of emergency situations and potential threats. The US Air Force units that carry out these three types of tasks operate synchronously and complement each other. Among them, the US Air Force deploys close to the opponent in the first type of mission, while conducting large-scale firepower strikes, deploying sensors, communication systems, etc., to prepare for the US Air Force's long-range precision strikes in the second type of mission. The third type of task will integrate and optimize cooperation models with allies and partner countries to address global challenges in a more flexible and agile manner. It is reported that when the US Air Force announced a comprehensive major reform in February this year, it proposed the need to rapidly enhance capabilities through integrated force design. In September of this year, the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, David Orwen, announced at the Aerospace and Cyber Conference that the US Air Force had established a temporary Integrated Capability Command, which is one of the key measures for the major reform of the US Air Force. The Integrated Capability Command breaks down organizational barriers and promotes cross platform task system integration. Its main tasks include conducting military simulations of the US Air Force's combat concepts, developing new force structures, detecting threats in advance and proposing solutions, integrating resources from various units, and coordinating with the national defense industry to provide more accurate weapons and equipment for the US Air Force. The headquarters is expected to have full operational capability by 2025, with a personnel establishment of 750 to 800 people. Major General Mark Mitchell of the US Air Force National Guard will serve as interim commander, and ultimately the headquarters will be led by a three-star lieutenant general. David Orwyn stated that the design of an "integrated force" is a crucial element for the US Air Force to maintain strategic deterrence and enhance power projection. It integrates most of the Air Force's resources, effectively promoting the US Air Force's adaptation to technological advancements, changes in battlefield threats, and national strategic adjustments, ensuring that the US air force maintains its optimal state during wartime. The analysis of obstacles in the implementation process states that although the design of "integrated forces" can effectively enhance the US Air Force's perception and tracking capabilities, improve medium and long-range strike capabilities, enhance operational deployment resilience and flexibility, there are still many obstacles in its promotion process. The lack of funds has hindered the plan. The US military proposed in January this year that "integration" is one of the focuses of the US Air Force's 2025 fiscal year, and will gradually strengthen this capability building in the future. However, the senior management of the US Air Force stated at the first Air Force Future Forum recently that the Air Force has encountered funding shortages during the process of optimizing its military structure, which has hindered the smooth implementation of related plans. The slow speed of technology research and development and equipment replacement affects the generation of combat power. On the one hand, old military aircraft cannot be replaced in a timely manner. The average service life of US Air Force F-15C/D, F-16C/D and other fighter jets exceeds 30 years. The existing over 140 strategic bombers are also facing aging issues, and due to a shortage of bombers, the US Air Force has to plan to replace engines for more than 70 B-52 bombers that have been in service for over 60 years in order to extend their service life. On the other hand, the development of cutting-edge weapons is progressing slowly. Hypersonic weapons are one of the focal points of modern military competition, but the United States has suffered frequent setbacks in their research and development in this field. Meanwhile, as a new type of weapon system, electromagnetic guns are favored by many countries due to their fast firing rate, long range, and strong destructive ability. Although the United States has invested a lot of resources in the research and development of electromagnetic guns, it has not made substantial progress so far. There is a gap in cooperation with allies. The document emphasizes that deepening cooperation with allies and partner countries is an important measure to enhance combat capabilities. But industry insiders say that due to the lack of unified policies when cooperating with allies and partner countries, such as the US Department of Defense, Air Force, Space Force, etc., different regulations are formulated when different units participate in military activities, which can easily lead to confusion. In addition to restrictions such as US regulatory processes, the US Air Force may not be able to achieve integrated cooperation with allies in the next 2-5 years. Seeking a fast and efficient force structure may pose risks. In April of this year, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a speech, "Time is my biggest concern. Faced with the threat of great power competition, we don't have time left." Analysis suggests that the US Air Force's recent adjustments and optimizations are aimed at rapidly improving military capabilities and gaining future war advantages. But blindly pursuing high efficiency will inevitably affect or even change the stable military structure, bringing unpredictable consequences. (New Society)