America's next war could reach US soil, top Army general warns

The American military has largely operated on a familiar premise: combat the enemy overseas before the fight reaches home.

But as drones, cyberattacks and long-range weapons pose growing threats to U.S. military installations and critical infrastructure, Army leaders are preparing for a future in which American forces could come under attack before they ever deploy overseas.

"If we're going against a pacing threat, power projection will be contested," Gen.

Christopher LaNeve, the Army's acting chief of staff, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

He said the military is rethinking assumptions that were held during decades of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, when American forces could largely count on secure bases and supply lines at home.

FBI WARNS BATTLEFIELD-STYLE DRONE ATTACKS COULD REACH US: 'ONLY A MATTER OF TIME' "During the Global War on Terror, we took a lot of things for granted, because we could," LaNeve said during a small-group roundtable at the Association of the United States Army's annual conference in Washington this week.

In a potential conflict with China, disrupting American military bases, transportation networks and communications could delay U.S. forces from reaching the battlefield.

The Pentagon's latest report on China's military capabilities warns that Beijing has positioned cyber capabilities inside U.S. critical infrastructure networks that could be used to disrupt American military mobilization during a conflict.

The concerns come as the Pentagon places renewed emphasis on homeland defense and military installations as they prepare to potentially confront threats closer to home.

U.S. officials have previously confirmed drone incursions over installations — including Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia and Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey.

Though those incidents have not been publicly attributed to China.

The warning of a future fight on American soil comes amid the How the Army Fights roll out.

The new operational framework places greater emphasis on preparing American forces to deploy, communicate and sustain operations even when military bases, supply lines and communications networks are under attack.

The guidance places greater emphasis on the Army's ability to deploy and sustain forces under threat, including when communications, supply lines and military infrastructure are disrupted.