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.
“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.
Why edge and endpoint security can’t be an afterthought.
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.
Service leaders are looking to find industry solutions for short/vertical takeoff and landing (S/VOTL) drones, ones that don’t require a runway, in the Group 4 or above category.
“If acquisition reform is going to be successful … it will take us exercising our authority to stop things that don't make sense anymore. Even if they're new,” Army Chief Technology Officer Alex Miller told Breaking Defense.
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
The office outlines 13 recommendations for the DoD and services that primarily revolve around revising weapon systems' test and evaluation policies to reflect “leading practices” for product development.
“The reviews are done. It's time to deliver,” said John Healey, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defense.
Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey outlined key steps taken since an early November mandate to move out on acquisition reform.
“We will instead put our nation's practical, concrete interests first,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. “We will deter war. We will advance our interests. We will defend our people. Peace is our goal.”
The military space sector is evolving fast. Get the latest from Space Force and industry officials on what’s next for acquisition, policy and training in a new Breaking Defense eBook.
The document hits Europe hard, stating that the largest issue facing Europe is the "Stark prospect of civilizational erasure."
“Majorities want the United States to take the lead in international affairs, believe American military superiority is essential, and support a force sized to deter and, if necessary, win conflicts against more than one major adversary at a time,” said a summary of the annual Ronald Reagan Institute poll.
“We’re not trying to blow up the Death Star. You can blind the optics, start fires, melt plastic, disrupt targeting, overheat electronics. All of that is possible now,” said General Atomics spokesperson C. Mark Brinkley.
In total, the agency is providing awards to 1,014 "qualifying offerors" for the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program, under deals that could eventually total $151 billion over 10 years.
