War on the Rocks

The Marine Corps' Plan for the Future of Ground Combat

The Marine Corps just released its plan to fight against adversaries on land and Ryan had the two architects of the plan, Ground Combat Element 2040, on the show to talk

Command and Politics in the War Between Moscow and Kyiv

Our intrepid team covers a lot of ground in this episode: the increasing fluidity of the battlefield, drones and air defense, the biting Black Sea campaign, the causes an

Inside Iran's Wartime Regime

Afshon Ostovar, one of the leading experts on Iran and the host of the members-only podcast The Iran Reckoning, is joined by War on the Rocks membership editor Kerry Ande

A Life in Army Special Operations, from Desert Storm to the Next War

Lt. Gen. (ret.) Francis Beaudette, former commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, joins Ryan to discuss how his family history, service, and books

How Ukraine Put Russia on the Backfoot

Ukraine's expanding use of drones at all ranges has changed the war's momentum. This episode examines how Kyiv is reaching deeper into Russian territory, disrupting opera

How a Team of Marines Built the Corps' FPV Drone Training Program from a Cold Start

Last fall, the U.S. Marine Corps had virtually no first-person view attack drones. That's changed quickly. This episode is about how a team of marines at Weapons Training

Is Time on China's Side? Beijing's Taiwan Calculus and the Balance of Power

When is the risk of war the highest? And what should the United States be doing about it? One of the most important but underappreciated questions in international politi

What Would Relations with Post-War Russia Look Like?

Rose Gottemoeller joined Ryan in Washington. They discussed how the West might think about relations with Russia once the war with Ukraine ends, as well as nuclear diplom

What Does SOUTHCOM's New Autonomous Warfare Command Herald?

Gen. Frank Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, sat down with Ryan to discuss the vision behind the command's new Autonomous Warfare Command and what it signals f

What a Post-Orbán Hungary Means for Hungarians and Europe

Hungary has turned the page. After 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán, opposition leader Péter Magyar has emerged as the winner by a landslide. Ryan is joined by Sándor Ési

Why Do Many Western Defense Tech Firms Struggle in Ukraine?

Michael Kofman joined Ryan at a live event earlier this year to discuss the performance of American defense technology in Ukraine and why it often falls short. They exami

Update from the Battlefield: Drones, Distance, and Diminishing Returns for Russia

Michael Kofman joins Ryan to unpack the current state of the Russo-Ukrainian War after his recent trip to the front. They examine how drone warfare has transformed the ba

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz & Saving Downed Pilots

Two retired U.S. admirals with deep experience at sea and in the air joined Ryan to discuss the military challenge of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Adm. (ret.) Jamie Fo

What It Was Like to Be Under Incoming Fire from the War on Terror to Today

On this special, crossover episode of our members-only armed services podcasts, some of our hosts sat down to discuss their experiences with indirect fire and bombardment

The Arsenal Beneath the Arsenal

What does it take to rebuild the foundation of American military power? Michael Cadenazzi, assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, joined Ryan at a liv

Power, Paranoia, and the People's Liberation Army

China's top military leadership has been shaken by a new round of purges at the highest level, raising urgent questions about loyalty, corruption, and combat readiness. W

The Marines That Led the Evacuation of Afghanistan, Four Years Later

On this special, free episode of Marine Pulse, Ian Brown sat down with two Marines who recount their mission at Hamid Karzai International Airport on the day of the suici

How We Arrived at this Iranian Moment and What Happens Next

The Iranian regime has crushed the latest wave of protests through brute force, but the regime's survival comes at a cost. It now confronts a volatile mix of domestic opp

Airpower, Advice, and D.C. Favorites with David Deptula

Lt. Gen. (ret) David Deptula sat down with Patrick McSpadden in the War on the Rocks studio for a wide-ranging conversation. Deptula highlights the Air Force's current ch

The Reckoning of the Ayatollahs: Understanding Iran's Burgeoning Uprising

Ryan had an hour-long conversation with Afshon Ostovar, a leading expert on the Iranian regime and its brutal security services. Afshon breaks down everything you need to