Experts noted that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will need to implement significant changes in order to adjust to a historic reshuffle of its branches, according to a report by China Daily.
The experts were reacting to President Xi Jinping's announcement on Thursday regarding the establishment of the PLA Army Headquarters, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force.
In general, the PLA will need to establish inter-services platforms and more universal hardware in order to improve its effectiveness in combat, according to the experts.
"President Xi has repeatedly stressed the importance of information and joint operation capabilities, which I believe are pillars to winning modern warfare. So the PLA should give priority to developing an inter-services command and logistics system," said Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine.
Wang said that the PLA Army, Air Force, Navy and Rocket Force should integrate their currently separate information and logistics platforms to allow for smoother command. He also suggested having a universal early-warning and control system, as well as a long-range transporter aircraft, for all services, instead of having it for just the air force.
The PLA Rocket Force was established on Thursday to replace the Second Artillery Corps and manage strategic missiles.
According to Cao Weidong, a researcher with the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, for the army, air force, navy and missile forces to act in unison, there will need to be more military satellites, which will play a larger role in gathering information and transmitting orders among the different fighting units.
"The air force and navy will need more equipment that can perform or support long-range operations," Cao said. "For instance, the navy will need amphibious assault ships, large supply vessels and advanced guided missile destroyers, while the air force will pursue long-range refueling aircraft."