Valerie Insinna

Valerie Insinna

Senior Reporter, Congress and Defense Industry, Breaking Defense

Valerie covers the congressional and defense industry beat for Breaking Defense. Valerie has extensive national security reporting expertise, having served as the air warfare beat reporter for Defense News for five years. During that time her work was recognized by numerous awards, including the prestigious National Press Club Michael A. Dornheim Award for defense journalism. Valerie most recently covered commercial aerospace for Reuters. She also previously worked at Defense Daily and National Defense Magazine.

Stories by Valerie Insinna

Connecticut lawmakers to grill Army, Lockheed about job cuts at Sikorsky helicopter unit

Connecticut lawmakers to grill Army, Lockheed about job cuts at Sikorsky helicopter unit
Connecticut lawmakers to grill Army, Lockheed about job cuts at Sikorsky helicopter unit

“The Connecticut delegation has questions about why, with that [FY24] appropriation in hand, this happened,” said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn.

As Pentagon awaits supplemental dollars, its operational funding is $2B in the hole

As Pentagon awaits supplemental dollars, its operational funding is $2B in the hole
As Pentagon awaits supplemental dollars, its operational funding is $2B in the hole

The House is teeing up a series of votes this weekend on separate supplemental spending bills for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.

HASC chair backs Air Force plan on space Guard units (Exclusive)

HASC chair backs Air Force plan on space Guard units (Exclusive)
HASC chair backs Air Force plan on space Guard units (Exclusive)

House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers tells Breaking Defense that Guard advocates should not “waste their time” lobbying against the move.

Boeing pitches new surveillance, strike missions for MQ-25 tanker drone

Boeing pitches new surveillance, strike missions for MQ-25 tanker drone
Boeing pitches new surveillance, strike missions for MQ-25 tanker drone

The aerospace giant showed off an armed MQ-25 model outfitted with two Lockheed Martin-made Long Range Anti-Surface Missiles during the Sea Air Space conference earlier this week.

‘Matter of time’: AFRICOM puts counter-drone systems at top of $500M unfunded priorities list

‘Matter of time’: AFRICOM puts counter-drone systems at top of $500M unfunded priorities list
‘Matter of time’: AFRICOM puts counter-drone systems at top of $500M unfunded priorities list

After the counter-uncrewed systems, AFRICOM said it would spend another $228 million on “high-risk intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance” to shore up current “unacceptable risk” to US interests on the continent.

EUCOM asks for $83 million for air base defense in FY25 unfunded wish list

EUCOM asks for $83 million for air base defense in FY25 unfunded wish list
EUCOM asks for $83 million for air base defense in FY25 unfunded wish list

The air base defense priority is the largest of the three items EUCOM listed, with almost $67 million needed for additional sensors that would plug into the Air Force’s base defense network.

Implementation plan for defense industrial strategy to be ready this summer: DoD official

Implementation plan for defense industrial strategy to be ready this summer: DoD official
Implementation plan for defense industrial strategy to be ready this summer: DoD official

“We are working on it literally as we speak,” said Laura Taylor-Kale, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy.

Northrop Grumman-made part ‘significant’ contributor to sub delays: Navy secretary

Northrop Grumman-made part ‘significant’ contributor to sub delays: Navy secretary
Northrop Grumman-made part ‘significant’ contributor to sub delays: Navy secretary

“Now it [the Columbia-class submarine] is delayed by at least a year, leaving no more margin for failure for the rest of the decades-long procurement and delivery schedule,” said Rep. Ken Calvert, chair of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

Transfer of Air National Guard units to Space Force would be a one-off, says Air Force Secretary

Transfer of Air National Guard units to Space Force would be a one-off, says Air Force Secretary
Transfer of Air National Guard units to Space Force would be a one-off, says Air Force Secretary

“It’s a unique situation. There’s absolutely no intention to make any other changes, moving things out of the Guard,” said Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.

Navy says future drone wingmen need to come in under $15 million price point

Navy says future drone wingmen need to come in under $15 million price point
Navy says future drone wingmen need to come in under $15 million price point

“I want something that’s going to fly for a couple hundred hours. The last hour it’s either a target or a weapon. … But I’m not going to sustain them for 30 years,” said Rear Adm. Stephen Tedford, the Navy’s program executive for unmanned systems and weapons.

Pentagon weighs options to lengthen life of legacy nuclear platforms as new programs face delays

Pentagon weighs options to lengthen life of legacy nuclear platforms as new programs face delays
Pentagon weighs options to lengthen life of legacy nuclear platforms as new programs face delays

“The question is, how do you manage what you might call the transition from the legacy systems to modern systems?” John Plumb, assistant secretary of Defense for Space Policy, told reporters.

White House indicates arms sale changes on table for Israel

White House indicates arms sale changes on table for Israel
White House indicates arms sale changes on table for Israel

“If we don’t see changes from their side, they’ll have to be changes from our side,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

General Electric completes spin off of aviation engines business, launching GE Aerospace

General Electric completes spin off of aviation engines business, launching GE Aerospace
General Electric completes spin off of aviation engines business, launching GE Aerospace

The breakup of General Electric into three new companies signifies a new age for one of the two major US aviation engine manufacturers.

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clears F-35 to fly in lightning after years-long hold

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clears F-35 to fly in lightning after years-long hold
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clears F-35 to fly in lightning after years-long hold

The approval ends an ironic episode for the fighter nicknamed the “Lightning II.”

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