Shows / War on the Rocks
War on the Rocks
Discussions over drinks with security, defense, and foreign policy insiders and experts. The original War on the Rocks podcast series.
Episodes
- War on the Rocks
Assessing Ukraine's Prospects in 2025
Mike Kofman joined Ryan for a wide-ranging conversation on the challenges faced by both Ukraine and Russia this year. They discuss losses on both sides…
- War on the Rocks
Championing NATO's Digital Transformation
On the sidelines of I/ITSEC in Orlando, we hosted a live podcast recording. Our guest for this very special episode was Maj. Gen. Dominique Luzeaux of France…
- War on the Rocks
Waiting for a Theory of Victory in Ukraine
Mike Kofman and Ryan have a high-level conversation on strategy in this war, or the lack thereof. From Ukraine's mobilization reluctance to the Biden…
- War on the Rocks
Technology, the Battlefield, and Beyond in Ukraine
We are sharing a free Thanksgiving episode of the Russia Contingency with you all to express our gratitude for your listenership and support. This episode…
- War on the Rocks
As Ukraine Stumbles and Russia Advances, What Does it Mean?
Mike Kofman came by WOTR HQ to discuss the state of the front and findings from his most recent research trip to Ukraine. From North Korean troops, to manpower…
- War on the Rocks
The Transformation of Marine Marksmanship
Ryan popped over to Quantico to speak with four marines at the forefront of major advances in marksmanship in America's 9-1-1 force. Listen in as Maj. Steve…
- War on the Rocks
The Meaning of Creeping Ukrainian Losses in the East
Michael Kofman popped into WOTR HQ to speak with Ryan about the war. They discussed territorial losses in the Donbas, the situation in Kursk, manpower…
- War on the Rocks
Can ICE Pact Salvage American Shipbuilding?
Three sharp directors on the National Security Council staff invited Ryan over to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to chat about the Icebreaker…
- War on the Rocks
How Ukraine Re-Introduced Dynamism Into the War
Mike Kofman popped into WOTR HQ to speak with Ryan about the state of play in Ukraine. From south to north, they review the situation at the front, with…
- War on the Rocks
The Army Wants You to Write. Three Soldiers Explain Why
The U.S. Army, from the chief of staff on down, is putting its weight behind getting soldiers to take writing and publishing more seriously as an important…
- War on the Rocks
Ukraine Goes into Kursk: A Dose of the "Russia Contingency" with Michael Kofman
This is part one of a two-parter on Ukraine's operation into the Russian oblast of Kursk and it's from our members-only show, "The Russia Contingency" with…
- War on the Rocks
The Smartest Conversation on Cyber in the Defense Department You've Heard in a Long Time
Ryan was joined by Melissa Griffith (SAIS-Johns Hopkins), Anne Marie Schumann (Department of the Navy), Alexis Bonnell (Air Force Research Laboratory), and…
- War on the Rocks
Can Congress Revive Shipbuilding and Maritime Strategy?
A sailor from a landlocked state and a soldier from a state with the country's second longest coastline are trying to accomplish something transformative for…
- War on the Rocks
How Dangerous is this Summer for Ukraine?
Mike Kofman dropped by War on the Rocks HQ to update us on the war, drawing on his findings from his recent field study in Ukraine. They discuss the state of…
- War on the Rocks
A Position of Influence: Adm. Rob Bauer, Chair of NATO's Military Committee
Ryan met with Adm. Rob Bauer of the Royal Netherlands Navy for a conversation in Washington, DC. As chair of the NATO Military Committee, he is the senior-most…
- War on the Rocks
The Actively Retired Polish General Building a Strategic Culture
Last year, Rajmund Andrzejczak retired as Poland's chief of the general staff, but he has been busy since. During a recent visit to Washington, he spoke with…
- War on the Rocks
Is Russia's Window for Gains this Summer Narrowing?
Michael Kofman dropped into WOTR HQ to chat with Ryan about the war in Ukraine. From Russia's culminated offensive on Kharkiv, to battlefields of the Donbas…
- War on the Rocks
CTOing in the Defense Department with Schuyler Moore and Justin Fanelli
It's become more and more common for organizations in the Defense Department, from the military services to geographic combatant commands and beyond, to have…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was kind enough to spend some time with Ryan talking about the reorganization of the Department of the Air Force and…
- War on the Rocks
From Polar Presence to Port Security: A Conversation with the Coast Guard Commandant
Nick sat down with United States Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan to discuss the Coast Guard's global activities, from the Arctic to the Indo-Pacific to…
- War on the Rocks
What Will Ukraine Do To Stay in the Fight this Year?
The U.S. Congress finally passed the security supplement, authorizing a large amount of funding and support to keep Ukraine in the fight. This package buys…
- War on the Rocks
Ukraine and a Fractured World
Ryan sat down with three friends to talk about the war in Ukraine through the lens of a new edited volume on the topic. Enjoy this conversation with Andrea…
- War on the Rocks
Crossing the Threshold
Nick sat down with Eric Brewer, Dana Stroul, and Gavin Clough to discuss how the conventional, proxy, and nuclear threats Iran poses are evolving. Who was…
- War on the Rocks
Spacepower and the Private Sector
On the sidelines of the National Space Symposium, we threw a little party and recorded a podcast, because why not? Our special guest was Assistant Secretary of…
- War on the Rocks
Mike Kofman and Rob Lee on Drones in Ukraine
This deep and fascinating conversation is one of a two-part discussion that you can listen to on the Russia Contingency, a members-only podcast hosted by…
- War on the Rocks
Ammunition, Energy and a Sense of History: The Czech Ambassador on Ukraine and More
Nick sat down with Czech Ambassador to the United States Miloslav Stašek for a geographically wide-ranging conversation that moved from Munich to the Middle…
- War on the Rocks
The Laboratory Building the Future of the Army
Ryan popped into Austin to see what the Army Applications Laboratory was getting up to. Its director, Dr. Casey Perley, was kind enough to sit down with Ryan…
- War on the Rocks
Spotlight on Moldova: Chisinau's Ambassador Talks Democracy, Security and Wine
Nick Danforth sat down with Moldovan Ambassador to the United States Viorel Ursu last week to discuss democracy, energy and Russian hybrid warfare, not to…
- War on the Rocks
Fortifications, Manpower, and Munitions in Ukraine's Daunting Year Ahead
Mike Kofman, fresh back from a research trip to Ukraine, spoke with Ryan about Ukraine's main challenges in facing down Russia this year.
- War on the Rocks
Warsaw's Man in Washington on European Security and Poland's Defense Buildup
Ryan visited Ambassador Marek Magierowski at the Polish Embassy in Washington. They spoke about Poland's military build-up and the challenges posed by Russia's…
- War on the Rocks
Gen. Brito of Training & Doctrine Command Talks Army Professionalism
Ryan sat down at the Pentagon with Gen. Gary Brito, who leads U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, to talk about strengthening Army professionalism, which…
- War on the Rocks
The Russo-Ukrainian War at Two
On the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ryan and Mike Kofman sit down to chat about where the war stands today and where things…
- War on the Rocks
Iraq Between Suits and Fatigues
Last week, Nick Danforth sat down with Denise Natali, Doug Ollivant and Bilal Wahab to discuss the latest in Iraqi politics? They debated what Iraq was like on…
- War on the Rocks
Security in the Indo-Pacific with Assistant Secretary of Defense Ely Ratner
Ryan and Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, chatted about, well, it's in his job title. They discussed North Korean…
- War on the Rocks
The End of the Golden Era of Arms Control
As the world grapples again with the dangers of nuclear weapons use, Aaron sat down with Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army
As the largest war in Europe since World War II rages and as China rises, the U.S. Army is preparing for an evermore dangerous world with an ambitious vision…
- War on the Rocks
Ukraine at War, From Avdiivka to Zaluzhny
As Putin throws his forces relentlessly into the meat-grinder of Avdiivka, Mike and Ryan sort through the state of Russia's offensive there, Moscow's efforts…
- War on the Rocks
A Very Nerdy Podcast Episode about the Navy
What is the value of a U.S. aircraft carrier? How are the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy held to financial account? And why does the Department of…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with Gen. David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Should the tragedy of war with China occur, the Air Force will play a critical role in ensuring America is able to meet the challenges of conflict in the vast…
- War on the Rocks
Ukraine Prepares for 2024
Nick sat down with Mike Kofman to discuss where the Russo-Ukrainian conflict stands at the start of 2024. They talked through the situation on the front lines…
- War on the Rocks
The Case for Seizing $300 Billion in Russian State Assets
In the last few days of 2023, the United States proposed that working groups from the G7 explore ways to seize $300 billion of Russian state assets. Given the…
- War on the Rocks
Gaza and the Gulf
Nick Danforth sat down with Steven Cook, Joyce Karam, and Faysal Itani to discuss how the war in Gaza will impact Israel's relations with the Gulf and American…
- War on the Rocks
The Defense Department and the Rise of Commercial Spacepower
TechCrunch Disrupt hosted Ryan and a top-notch panel for a conversation on the increasing importance of commercial stakeholders in the exercise of military…
- War on the Rocks
Adaptation at the Front and the Big Picture in Ukraine
Ryan and Mike Kofman discuss the state of the war before turning to various other issues including important tactical adaptations since the start of summer…
- War on the Rocks
Japan Re-evaluates Regional Threats
Nick sat down in Tokyo last week with Satoru Mori and Yasuhiro Izumikawa to discuss the evolution of Japan's threat perceptions and defense planning. They also…
- War on the Rocks
The Net Assessment Crew Sits Down with Ryan
The title says it all! If you missed episodes of our show "Net Assessment" over the summer and fall, you aren't alone. Zack Cooper, Melanie Marlow, and…
- War on the Rocks
Some Preliminary Thoughts on Ukraine's Position in the War
Now that the offensive launched by Ukrainian forces is possibly in the process of petering out, Mike Kofman shares some of his exploratory thoughts on where…
- War on the Rocks
Defense and Capital: A Conversation with Raj Shah of Shield Capital
Continuing our series of conversations about issues at the intersection of defense and capital, Ryan chatted with Raj Shah of Shield Capital last month in San…
- War on the Rocks
A Conversation with the Commandant, Gen. Eric Smith
Ryan spoke with the commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, about a range of issues from his forthcoming planning guidance to the future of force…
- War on the Rocks
Looking Beyond the Offensive in Ukraine
Ryan sat down with Mike to discuss the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia's effort to seize the initiative before winter begins, Moscow's turn to North Korea for…
- War on the Rocks
Tech, Ethics, and the City in Israel's Looming Urban Battlefield
Ryan sat down with John Amble of the Modern War Institute to unpack the challenges Israel is likely to face in Gaza; Israel's world-renowned urban warfare…
- War on the Rocks
Introducing Thinking the Unthinkable
Welcome to a sneak peek of Thinking the Unthinkable, our newest members-only podcast. We are previewing this members-only podcast on this feed for free. This…
- War on the Rocks
The Meaning of the Attack on Israel
Ryan sat down with Bruce Hoffman, the Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign…
- War on the Rocks
Finding the Floor: Can the U.S. and China Stabilize Their Relationship?
Nick sat down with Evan Medeiros, Thomas Shugart and Emily Weinstein to take stock of where U.S.-Chinese relations stand today and where they might be going…
- War on the Rocks
One Tree Line at a Time: Breaching Russian Defenses in Ukraine
Nick and Mike sat down for an in-depth discussion of what it would take for Ukraine to achieve a true breakthrough against Russian forces. Mike also evaluated…
- War on the Rocks
Dueling Generals on Training and Readiness
Ryan was happy to welcome back Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson and Lt. Gen. Andrea Tullos onto the show. These Air Force leaders lead Air Education and Training…
- War on the Rocks
A Chat with Britain's Top Officer, Adm. Radakin
Ryan sat down at the War on the Rocks office with Adm. Sir Antony Radakin, the professional head of the United Kingdom's military. The two discussed the United…
- War on the Rocks
Ukrainian Progress: A Breach or a Breakthrough of Russian Lines?
Nick Danforth sat down with Mike Kofman to discuss the state of the Ukrainain offensive three months in, as well as the challenges of assessing it. Mike also…
- War on the Rocks
Debating FISA Section 702
On this episode of the War on the Rocks podcast, deputy assistant to U.S. President Joe Biden, Joshua Geltzer, sat down with Nicholas Danforth to discuss the…
- War on the Rocks
How Ukraine Can Win the Peace: A Conversation with Stephen Kotkin
On this special preview of the Russia Contingency, Mike sat down with Stephen Kotkin, a senior fellow at Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute for International…