Show overview
War on the Rocks has been publishing since 2013, and across the 13 years since has built a catalogue of 344 episodes. That works out to roughly 220 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 29 min and 49 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language News show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 1 weeks ago, with 22 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2023, with 49 episodes published.
From the publisher
Discussions over drinks with security, defense, and foreign policy insiders and experts. The original War on the Rocks podcast series.
Latest Episodes
View all 344 episodesBrothers in Arms, Partners in Healing: A Story about a Breakthrough in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress
A Body Blow? The War on Iran and U.S. Military Readiness
The Marine Corps' Plan for the Future of Ground Combat
Command and Politics in the War Between Moscow and Kyiv
Inside Iran's Wartime Regime
A Life in Army Special Operations, from Desert Storm to the Next War
How Ukraine Put Russia on the Backfoot
How a Team of Marines Built the Corps' FPV Drone Training Program from a Cold Start
Is Time on China's Side? Beijing's Taiwan Calculus and the Balance of Power
What Would Relations with Post-War Russia Look Like?
What Does SOUTHCOM's New Autonomous Warfare Command Herald?
What a Post-Orbán Hungary Means for Hungarians and Europe
Why Do Many Western Defense Tech Firms Struggle in Ukraine?
Update from the Battlefield: Drones, Distance, and Diminishing Returns for Russia
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz & Saving Downed Pilots
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. With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, they rehash some of their own personal stories, provide context on today's threat environment, and share some advice for troops both downrange and at home.
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 live event a few weeks back for a fascinating discussion on the state of the defense industrial base (from new VC-backed entrants to the primes), the race for critical minerals, supply chain vulnerabilities, the unsexy realities of implementation, the role of allies, and the challenges of scaling production. He is also looking for your ideas. Special thanks to Altana for hosting the event at which this episode was recorded.
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. What do these removals, and especially the purge of Zhang Youxia, signal about Xi Jinping's grip on power, the health of the People's Liberation Army, and Beijing's appetite for risk abroad? We are joined by four seasoned analysts of China and its military, three of whom worked at the Central Intelligence Agency, to parse these questions and more. This episode is brought to you by Onebrief. Find out more at https://warontherocks.com/onebrief
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 suicide bombing attack at the Abbey gate during the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aaron Reep and Lee Bowden share their personal accounts of the mission, what stood out to them about their fellow Marines during the mission, and the timeless lessons Marines can take from it. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to all of our armed service podcast shows by becoming a member.
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 opposition, weakened regional proxies, and years of economic decay. Ryan is joined by co-host Kerry Anderson in a conversation with Alex Vatanka (Middle East Institute), Holly Dagres (Washington Institute for Near East Policy), and Naysan Rafati (International Crisis Group) about the pressures bearing down on Tehran and what might come next. This episode is brought to you by Victus Technologies. To learn more about Victus, check out: https://warontherocks.com/victus