War on the Rocks

Great discussions with security, defense, and foreign policy experts recorded over drinks.

What Will Ukraine Do To Stay in the Fight this Year? 05/06/2024

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 Ukraine another year of time. What will Ukraine do with that time? What is the situation at the front? Michael Kofman answers these questions and more. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/31145738

Ukraine and a Fractured World 05/01/2024

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 Kendall-Taylor (former CIA), Hal Brands, and Alexander Bick (former National Security Council staff), which surfaces some important disagreements and debates about the war and international order. Oh, and also buy (https://www.amazon.com/War-Ukraine-Conflict-Strategy-Fractured/dp/1421449846). Please note this was recorded shortly before the U.S. Congress passed the security supplemental, which included aid for Ukraine. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/31069533

Crossing the Threshold 04/26/2024

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 deterred and who wasn't by the latest Iranian and Israeli strikes? What did we learn about Iranian capabilities? And how will this affect Iran's thinking about a bomb? /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30995453

Spacepower and the Private Sector 04/19/2024

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 Defense for Space Policy John Plumb and the main focus of the conversation was the . /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30899528

Mike Kofman and Rob Lee on Drones in Ukraine 04/10/2024

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 Michael Kofman. Become a member here: /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30766948

Ammunition, Energy and a Sense of History: The Czech Ambassador on Ukraine and More 04/08/2024

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 East to the Texas automotive industry. Amb. Stašek discussed the progress of his government’s ammunition initiative for Ukraine, relations within the Visegrád Group and the expanding scope of U.S.-Czech ties. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30720713

The Laboratory Building the Future of the Army 04/03/2024

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 and break it down for him. If you care about military innovation, defense tech, and the future of the Army, this episode is for you. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30665783

Spotlight on Moldova: Chisinau’s Ambassador Talks Democracy, Security and Wine 03/22/2024

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 mention Black Sea security and the post-conflict politics of wine exports. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30502758

Fortifications, Manpower, and Munitions in Ukraine's Daunting Year Ahead 03/17/2024

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. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30410783

Warsaw's Man in Washington on European Security and Poland's Defense Buildup 03/11/2024

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 ongoing war against Ukraine. Much of their conversation focused on defense industrial issues, which sit at the heart of NATO's most difficult hurdles. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30327418

Gen. Brito of Training & Doctrine Command Talks Army Professionalism 03/05/2024

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 Gen. Randy George, the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, has identified as one of his key priorities. Whether you're a solider, Department of the Army civilian, a contractor supporting the Army, or just someone interested in the future of America's Army, this episode is for you. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30244238

The Russo-Ukrainian War at Two 02/24/2024

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 are heading. It is, to be candid, a pessimistic conversation. They cover the fall of Avdiivka, military leadership changes, Ukraine's mobilization challenges, Congressional dysfunction, European defense spending, and more. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30091598

Iraq Between Suits and Fatigues 02/19/2024

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 Oc. 6th, how it has been impacted by the war in Gaza, and where the country will be five years from now. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/30008278

Security in the Indo-Pacific with Assistant Secretary of Defense Ely Ratner 02/13/2024

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 intentions, American military posture, deepening cooperation between South Korea and Japan, Chinese military modernization, corruption in the Chinese military, and deterring an attack on Taiwan. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29943243

The End of the Golden Era of Arms Control 02/08/2024

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 International Peace, and Heather Williams, the director of the project on nuclear issues and a senior fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss new nuclear dynamics, the meaning of deterrence, and debate about the future of U.S. nuclear weapons strategy. PS: We are hiring a membership editor. If you want to play a critical role in driving conversations and debates about national security, you should consider applying: /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29858768

A Conversation with Gen. Randy George, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army 02/05/2024

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. To learn more about this vision, Ryan paid a visit to Gen. Randy George, who has been serving as the Army's chief of staff since last September. They tackled a range of topics, from warfighting and professionalism in the Army, to modernizing training and acquisitions, and to lessons learned versus lessons identified. Gen. George reveals his thoughts on how the Army is learning from the war in Ukraine. And they also discussed a new Army initiative called "transforming in contact." PS: We are hiring a membership editor. If you want to play a critical role in driving conversations and debates about national security, you should consider applying: /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29807323

Ukraine at War, From Avdiivka to Zaluzhny 01/30/2024

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 to bleed Ukrainian air defense, and Kyiv's success on the Black Sea. They also discuss how Ukraine can defend and rebuild in 2024 so that it can go on the offensive again next year. Ryan and Mike also return to Europe's ongoing failure to muster the political will and resources needed to do its part. And listeners will be treated to a rant from Ryan on the turmoil over President Zelenksy's reported decision to fire Gen. Zaluzhny. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29717703

A Very Nerdy Podcast Episode about the Navy 01/25/2024

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 Defense keep failing its audit? Ryan sat down with Russell Rumbaugh, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management & Comptroller), to discuss the budget, its relationship with the comprehensive ship building review, the ongoing challenges with building more ships and submarines, and the need to ramp up munition production. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29651333

A Conversation with Gen. David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force 01/22/2024

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 stretches of the Indo-Pacific. Gen. David W. Allvin, the 23rd chief of staff of the Air Force, joined the show to talk with Ryan about his priorities and how he is directing the Air Force to meet America's evolving national security needs by following through on the work of his predecessors. Listen to learn more about how Gen. Allvin views the future of training, logistics and refueling in contested airspace, the lessons from Ukraine, why he admires George C. Marshall, and more. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29598448

Ukraine Prepares for 2024 01/05/2024

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, naval developments in the Black Sea and Russia’s cynical diplomacy, as well as Moscow’s growing munitions advantage and what went wrong with the Ukrainian offensive. Don't forget to listen to "," an amazing new show that supported this episode to receive a promo code for a limited number of free War on the Rocks memberships. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29359993

The Case for Seizing $300 Billion in Russian State Assets 01/04/2024

The Case for Seizing $300 Billion in Russian State Assets In the last few days of 2023, the United States that working groups from the G7 explore ways to seize $300 billion of Russian state assets. Given the news, we are re-releasing a members-only podcast with Philip Zelikow, a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, which was recorded and released on Dec. 19, 2023. Aaron and Philip discussed the legal grounds to seize Russian assets held in Western banks, Moscow's potential retaliatory options, and whether a seizure would be escalatory. Consider today to listen to our slew of members-only podcasts and gain access to our daily newsletters. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29329513

Gaza and the Gulf 12/22/2023

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 interests in the Middle East. Among other topics, they debated the future of the Abraham Accords and what options, if any, exist for governing post-war Gaza. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/29205543

The Defense Department and the Rise of Commercial Spacepower 11/30/2023

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 power in and from space. It features John Plumb, the first assistant secretary of defense for space policy; Mandy Vaughn, the CEO and founder of GXO, Inc.; and Gen. James H. Dickinson, the commander of U.S. Space Command. Listen to their discussion, which was recorded in September. Thanks to TechCrunch for allowing us to use this recording. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28853858

Adaptation at the Front and the Big Picture in Ukraine 11/21/2023

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, why Washington's theory of its involvement in this war is fundamentally "unworkable" due to a lack of military observers in country, the various meanings of "stalemate," and the big picture for next year. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28743913

Japan Re-evaluates Regional Threats 11/20/2023

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 shared their thoughts on how Japan views the challenge posed by China, a potential Taiwan scenario, and the current conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28722543

The Net Assessment Crew Sits Down with Ryan 11/14/2023

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 Christopher Preble join Ryan for a discussion about the show, about what's happening in the world, and what we can expect from Net when it comes back next month. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28635268

Some Preliminary Thoughts on Ukraine's Position in the War 11/06/2023

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 Ukraine stands and what 2024 might look like. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28537511

Defense and Capital: A Conversation with Raj Shah of Shield Capital 10/31/2023

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 Francisco. From his service in the Air Force flying F-16s to his time as an entrepreneur to the Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental to his current work in venture capital, Shah has been a critical player in trying to maintain and grow the U.S. military's technological advantages. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28478090

A Conversation with the Commandant, Gen. Eric Smith 10/25/2023

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 design to personnel and safety and beyond. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28420598

Looking Beyond the Offensive in Ukraine 10/18/2023

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 artillery shells, the challenges the Ukrainian military may face next year, the Biden administration’s failure to provide certain weapons to Ukraine quickly, and the state of the Russian military. Mike and Ryan close with a conversation about the need to be forward-looking about the conflict, given that the Russian defense industry has increased its rate of production, which will require the United States, its European allies, and Ukraine to plan for continued combat in the future. /episode/index/show/warontherocks/id/28355891

War on the Rocks

TOPICS