Ashley Roque covers land warfare and Pentagon leadership for Breaking Defense. Over the past two decades, she’s reported on defense, US politics, and foreign policy for publications inside and outside of the United States including Janes, Roll Call, Inside Defense and Shephard Media. Ashley holds a BA in English with a minor in journalism from Florida State University, and a master's degree in conflict transformation from the University of Basel.
“It will strengthen the United States defense industrial base to ensure it has the capacity to support our military and our allies and partners, especially as we increase burden-sharing," Trump wrote in the new executive order.
After military operators fly the drones, the department plans to award deals totaling $150 million.
Government can’t stop to update systems, so modernization has to happen without interruptions.
In mid-January Lt. Gen. Francis Donovan told senators he would want to conduct an analysis of SOUTHCOM capabilities and “really build on the strength.”
An Army spokesperson told Breaking Defense that the current plan is for the service to acquire six production aircraft and three prototypes for the HADES program.
“We've gotten that input back [from industry] on both the light and the medium variants, and we're analyzing that information right now as we develop an acquisition plan to move forward with acquiring the light and the medium ice breaking capability,” USCG Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday told lawmakers today.
“It’s very ambiguous, and I don't know if they even recognize the contradictions that they're creating,” said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center.
As threats rapidly evolve, digital engineering, manufacturing capacity and robust supply chains are critical to meeting challenges.
“If you make the invention, I’ll give you $1 million,” Colombia's Minister of Defense Pedro Sánchez told Breaking Defense.
The department chose to release with an unusual lack of fanfare: 7:00 pm on a Friday, when the entire east coast is focused on a major snowstorm that is approaching.
A senior AFRICOM official told Breaking Defense the command is still looking to shore up ISR capabilities after the 2024 Niger exit.
“All we want from Denmark, for national and international security, [is] to keep our very energetic and dangerous potential enemies at bay [with] this land on which we're going to build the greatest Golden Dome ever built,” US President Donald Trump said today.
Do more with less: streamline workflows, reduce duplication, invest upfront to save long-term.
“We really haven't received any answers about how you feel about the responsibilities you're about to take on. It's okay to tell us, and actually would be helpful,” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker interjected today.
The coming 12 months could shake up where US troops are positioned and new details about the Golden Dome initiative.
In 2025, the Pentagon issued a series of directives giving the Army top cover to move out on a larger acquisition restructuring and host of program terminations.
“If you start to ask for a waiver starting ‘27 that's going to be a painful process for everyone. We'd rather you go ahead and start early,” said Michael Cadenazzi, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy.