The US is preparing for a long war with China, which could hit its military bases, Reuters reports.

US Air Force Brigadier General Doug Wickert has warned that if China attacks Taiwan in the coming years, the US military should be prepared for their immediate region to suffer potentially massive disruption from the very start.

In a briefing, Wickert—one of America's most experienced test pilots now commanding the 412th Test Wing—outlined China's rapid military growth and preparations to fight a major war

Cutting-edge US aircraft manufactured in California’s nearby “Aerospace Valley,” particularly the B-21 “Raider” now replacing the 1990s B-2 stealth bomber, were key to keeping Beijing deterred, he said. However, if deterrence failed that meant China’s would likely strike the US including nearby Northrop Grumman factories where those planes were built.

"If this war happens, it's going to happen here," Wickert said, suggesting attacks could include a cyber offensive that included long-term disruption to power supplies and other national infrastructure.

As Washington and Beijing square up for that potential fight, their military preparations—now taking place on an industrial scale on both sides in a manner not seen in decades—are themselves becoming a form of posturing and messaging.

The US must visibly and genuinely be prepared for what might be a long and brutal fight. As one senior US officer put it: “If China attacks Taiwan and we decide to intervene, that is not a war that is likely to be over quickly."

Such a conflict would likely see both casualties and destruction on a scale that would far outstrip anything in the "war on terror" conflicts that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks.