Ashley Roque

Senior Reporter

Ashley Roque covers land warfare 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.

Stories by Ashley Roque

Aloha: Fixes ongoing, then Army’s new watercraft prototype is Hawaii bound for testing

Aloha: Fixes ongoing, then Army’s new watercraft prototype is Hawaii bound for testing
Aloha: Fixes ongoing, then Army’s new watercraft prototype is Hawaii bound for testing

“Everything that we can knock off that list we will do in the archipelago…because that allows us to do the tests in the environment that the vessel will operate in ultimately,” said Maj. Gen. Jered Helwig.

Army marching towards key M10 Booker test, 2025 fielding

Army marching towards key M10 Booker test, 2025 fielding
Army marching towards key M10 Booker test, 2025 fielding

An upcoming Initial Operational Test and Evaluation event will help service leaders determine just what near-term and long-term changes they want to make to the light tank.

Taking aim: Army leaders ponder mix of precision munitions vs conventional

Taking aim: Army leaders ponder mix of precision munitions vs conventional
Taking aim: Army leaders ponder mix of precision munitions vs conventional

Three four-star US Army generals this week weighed in with their opinions about finding the right balance between conventional and high-tech munitions – but the answers aren’t easy.

Pentagon confirms Switchblade 600 made first Replicator tranche

Pentagon confirms Switchblade 600 made first Replicator tranche
Pentagon confirms Switchblade 600 made first Replicator tranche

“This is a critical step in delivering the capabilities we need, at the scale and speed we need, to continue securing a free and open Indo-Pacific” said Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Marines eye 2025 fielding of 3 new, mobile air defense systems

Marines eye 2025 fielding of 3 new, mobile air defense systems
Marines eye 2025 fielding of 3 new, mobile air defense systems

“We are on track from a programmatic standpoint — cost, schedule performance — but we’re always gonna be late to need,” said Col. Andrew Konicki, the program manager for Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD). “The threat is ever changing and ever evolving.”

Army planning consolidation roadmap for loitering munitions and small drones

Army planning consolidation roadmap for loitering munitions and small drones
Army planning consolidation roadmap for loitering munitions and small drones

Army acquisition head Doug Bush said he and Army Futures Command head Gen. James Rainey expect to have a plan rolled out sometime this summer.

Sikorsky prepares X2 offer for NATO’s next generation rotorcraft competition

Sikorsky prepares X2 offer for NATO’s next generation rotorcraft competition
Sikorsky prepares X2 offer for NATO’s next generation rotorcraft competition

The manufacturer is shifting attention to alliance requirements in the aftermath of the US Army cancelling its next-generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) effort.

Army closing in on selecting new spy-plane integrator, user assessment around late-2026

Army closing in on selecting new spy-plane integrator, user assessment around late-2026
Army closing in on selecting new spy-plane integrator, user assessment around late-2026

HADES is “designed to support active campaigning short of conflict and then potentially support targeting in conflicted areas where you might let high-end stealthy fighters or unmanned systems take first contact,” said Andrew Evans, the ISR Task Force director.

Head start: Early ’25 may be first flight for Black Hawk with T901 engine

Head start: Early ’25 may be first flight for Black Hawk with T901 engine
Head start: Early ’25 may be first flight for Black Hawk with T901 engine

Sikorsky is using remaining FARA dollars to test out the new T901 engine in anticipation of integrating it on a UH-60 M Black Hawk later this year.

Army inching towards late FY25 Chinook Block II full-rate production contract

Army inching towards late FY25 Chinook Block II full-rate production contract
Army inching towards late FY25 Chinook Block II full-rate production contract

Boeing recently announced the Block II helo’s first maiden flight and plans to deliver the first production aircraft to the service in the coming weeks.

Clearing smoke: Boeing swapping out AH-64E Apache generators, eyes new generator options

Clearing smoke: Boeing swapping out AH-64E Apache generators, eyes new generator options
Clearing smoke: Boeing swapping out AH-64E Apache generators, eyes new generator options

“We’ve seen some improvement … and so readiness is there: We have enough retrofit generators right now [and] it’s not impacting readiness,” said John Chicoli, the director of Boeing’s global services for vertical lift and special operations.

Move over FARA: General Atomics pitching new Gray Eagle version for armed scout mission

Move over FARA: General Atomics pitching new Gray Eagle version for armed scout mission
Move over FARA: General Atomics pitching new Gray Eagle version for armed scout mission

General Atomics will also showcase its Mojave demonstrator for the first time during the Army Aviation Association of America conference in Denver, a company spokesman said.

Army eyes TBI monitoring, wearable tech for soldiers in high-risk billets

Army eyes TBI monitoring, wearable tech for soldiers in high-risk billets
Army eyes TBI monitoring, wearable tech for soldiers in high-risk billets

“We are also looking at what additional personal protective equipment we can provide to our folks, especially instructors and others who are routinely exposed to blast pressure,” said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth.

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.

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