Bringing the Future Faster

The principle objective of this research is to inform the process in part to enable a quicker, more integrated, and informed transition from idea to implementation within the USAF, or put differently, to bring the future faster. The specific area in the focus of this paper is the process by which updates and improvements are made to the Combat Air Forces and the various Mission Design Series (MDS) contained therein. Integration and proper resourcing of incredibly complex individual capability roadmaps at the Service and Joint Level has proven increasingly difficult, especially with decreased operational expertise on the staffs. The Summary of the National Defense Strategy (NDS) and National Security Strategy (NSS) use fairly plain language to state the issue is not one of current outmatch in relation to our adversaries, but an acknowledgement that we are emerging from a period of strategic atrophy, aware that our competitive military advantage has been eroding. While organizations such as the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC) have been strategically chartered to bring about a more lethal, resilient, and rapidly innovating Joint Force, this process involves detailed integration with the operational and tactical experts to bring about the desired change. Three prongs of effort on which will hinge the ability to more rapidly affect change are developing appropriate integration processes and venues; developing and equipping personnel with detailed knowledge of combat processes, capabilities and capability gaps; and altering platform engineering requirements.