The U.S. Army is preparing for a future in which American forces could come under attack at home before they ever deploy overseas, the service's acting chief of staff warned this week, as drones, cyberattacks and long-range weapons put military installations and critical infrastructure at growing risk.
«If we're going against a pacing threat, power projection will be contested,» Gen. Christopher LaNeve said during a small-group roundtable at the Association of the United States Army's annual conference in Washington. He said the military is rethinking assumptions held during decades of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, when American forces could largely count on secure bases and supply lines at home.
«During the Global War on Terror, we took a lot of things for granted, because we could,» LaNeve said. In a potential conflict with China, disrupting American military bases, transportation networks and communications could delay U.S. forces from reaching the battlefield, he noted.
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 the protection of military installations.
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 rollout of «How the Army Fights,» a new operational framework that 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.
LaNeve said the Army is using the framework to establish clearer priorities for how its formations train, fight and incorporate new technology. «It was important to get this document out to provide a direction for our Army, a stake in the ground in where we're moving,» he said.
The changes are being led by an Army leadership team serving in acting capacities following the departures of former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. LaNeve remains the Senate-confirmed vice chief of staff.
He explained how the Army is preparing to keep fighting even when an adversary disrupts military communications. «I think what you would see inside this command and control capability is the ability to operate disconnected and then reconnect when you have that capability, but to continue to be able to maneuver,» he said.
The Army is also rethinking how it protects military installations at home. LaNeve pointed to Joint Interagency Task Force 401, which is working with federal and local law enforcement to strengthen counter-drone defenses around military bases and critical infrastructure.
Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle pointed to the southern border as an example of how soldiers are already confronting drone threats closer to home. He said soldiers are using the mission to test new counter-drone technology against real-world threats, gaining experience they can bring back to their units as the Army prepares for future conflicts.
The Army is also expanding its preparations for biological threats that could disrupt military operations. Officials announced this week that biological incidents will be incorporated into routine combat training as part of a broader effort to ensure soldiers can continue carrying out their missions through disease outbreaks or deliberate biological attacks.
During a separate panel, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink warned that advances in surveillance technology could soon make it increasingly difficult for military forces to operate anywhere without being detected. «We are rapidly heading to a point in time where, depending on what your signature is, how fast you're moving, the enemy is going to have some sense to where you are no matter where you are on the planet,» Meink said.
He suggested that level of surveillance could emerge within five years, potentially sooner, as China and other adversaries expand their ability to track and target military assets. Meink said the Pentagon is working to make its forces more survivable, including through autonomous systems capable of operating in dangerous environments where commanders might hesitate to send manned platforms.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Meink and the other service secretaries, criticized what he described as the Pentagon's failure to keep pace with technological advances under the Biden administration. «On hypersonics, they took a nap. On space, they took a nap. On weaponization of space, they took a nap. On drones, they took a nap,» Hegseth said.
LaNeve emphasized that despite the Army's growing reliance on advanced technology, soldiers must still be able to carry out their missions when those systems are unavailable.