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Artwork for War on the Rocks

War on the Rocks

Ryan Evans
Ukraine
Russia
Iran
China
NATO
United States
Drones
Middle East
Indo-Pacific
Air Force
Taiwan
Israel
Donbas
Avdiivka
Ukraine Conflict
Bakhmut
U.S. Defense Industrial Base
Hamas
Iraq
Kharkiv

Discussions over drinks with security, defense, and foreign policy insiders and experts. The original War on the Rocks podcast series.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes337Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

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Artwork for War on the Rocks

Latest Episodes

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 Battalion at Quantico went from a cold start to building a Marine Corps-wide fi... more

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 politics is how states think about the future balance of power. Countries that believe... more

YouTube

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 diplomacy and other critical issues. Gottemoeller was the deputy secretary general of ... more

YouTube

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 for the future of military operations in the Western Hemisphere. Donovan explains... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Dean Cheng
Senior fellow focusing on Chinese military power; longtime interpreter of Chinese military power
Potomac Institute; former Heritage Foundation
Episode: Is Time on China's Side? Beijing's Taiwan Calculus and the Balance of Power
Mira Rapp-Hooper
Leading analyst of US strategy in the Indo-Pacific; former NSC official; Brookings Institution fellow
Brookings Institution
Episode: Is Time on China's Side? Beijing's Taiwan Calculus and the Balance of Power
Amanda Hsiao
China specialist focused on Taiwan policy, crisis risks; Eurasia Group China practice director
Eurasia Group
Episode: Is Time on China's Side? Beijing's Taiwan Calculus and the Balance of Power
Rose Gottemoeller
Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO
NATO
Episode: What Would Relations with Post-War Russia Look Like?
Frank Donovan
Marine General, Commander of U.S. Southern Command
U.S. Southern Command
Episode: What Does SOUTHCOM's New Autonomous Warfare Command Herald?
Phil Duong
Co-founder of NODA, Autonomy Orchestrator
NODA
Episode: What Does SOUTHCOM's New Autonomous Warfare Command Herald?
Sándor Isik
Attorney practicing in Budapest, blogger and activist for democratic causes
Budapest, Hungary
Episode: What a Post-Orbán Hungary Means for Hungarians and Europe
Mike Kofman
Defense analyst providing frontline insights on Ukraine and Western defense tech
Episode: Why Do Many Western Defense Tech Firms Struggle in Ukraine?
Admiral Jamie Foggo
Retired United States Navy admiral, Dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy
U.S. Navy, Center for Maritime Strategy
Episode: Reopening the Strait of Hormuz & Saving Downed Pilots

Host

Ryan Evans
Host of the podcast, founder of War on the Rocks

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • Terrible audio!

    The episode on Strait of Hormuz, we tried to listen while traveling in the car, guys, it went from you were whispering to each other to suddenly audible. Really affects obviously what we took away from the episode. Straighten out your microphones and regulate your voices while speaking please !! Maybe test and listen to your voices before recording?!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    LoveListening26
    United States3 months ago
  • Doxxer

    Watch yourself around Ryan. He will doxx you on X if you disagree with him.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Anti-Dox
    United States4 months ago
  • Biased

    Extremely biased and one sided takes. Twists historical facts to suit his narratives. Unable to see all angles, which kinda sucks considering that’s what this is supposed to be about.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Tamoor07
    United States4 months ago
  • Often informative; Sometimes insufferable

    The Mike Kofmann episodes are generally informative regarding the UKR-RUS war. The worst episodes are the convos between 3-4 simpering swamp creature “experts” (who were never correct, but wise in hindsight and second-guessing). The sheer contempt for anyone outside of DC that leaks through, even from Evans himself, is insufferable. Enough looking down your nose at the “real estate guy”. He’s one of the better diplomats we’ve had. Not going to Georgetown seem to be a benefit. Tune down the arrog... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Texas user
    United States4 months ago
  • Have listened to every episode

    Perhaps you might like to discuss how US Miltary are randomly killing people on boats and killing any survivors

    Is it for fun like the Defense secretary says?

    America is in decline

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    mnytdvloddem
    Australia7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-caliber guests and in-depth topics attract a dedicated audience of policymakers and industry professionals.
Thoughtful and data-driven defense analysis, but some listeners feel the tone can be overcritical or biased at times.
Audio quality and delivery have mixed reviews, with praise for content depth but occasional critiques of pacing or production.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#177
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#120
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#140
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#71
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#131
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#150
Australia/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What a Post-Orbán Hungary Means for Hungarians and Europe
Q: What should we expect on Ukraine if Magyar takes office?
Magyar is expected to be less obstructionist toward Ukraine than Orbán and to push for EU alignment, while avoiding deep confrontations that could alienate the Hungarian electorate; the EU's emphasis on not sabotaging Ukraine issues will likely guide a more constructive stance.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz & Saving Downed Pilots
Q: What plan would you develop to forcibly reopen and keep open the Strait?
The plan is already being implemented: target the IRGC's capabilities, attrit anti-ship weapons and command and control nodes, and use a combination of air, surface, and unmanned assets to reduce Iran's ability to interdict ships, while maintaining political and international support until the strait can be opened and kept open.
The Arsenal Beneath the Arsenal
Q: What are some of the things that you're still working to convince Congress on?
We're working on munitions deals like the PAC 3 deal with Lockheed Martin and trying to stabilize demand for industry.
The Arsenal Beneath the Arsenal
Q: Where do you view the industrial base, the defense industrial base, is sort of most brittle right now?
All of the above including raw materials, energetics, and skilled labor.
Airpower, Advice, and D.C. Favorites with David Deptula
Q: What potential changes to training and operations do you anticipate?
General Deptula addresses the critical need for balance between preparing for threats globally while emphasizing the importance to not exceed the Air Force's capabilities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About War on the Rocks

What is War on the Rocks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, defense-focused show that blends strategic analysis with firsthand military and policy insights. Across recent episodes, topics span autonomous warfare, drone development, and international security dynamics (Ukraine, Strait of Hormuz, Hungary's political shifts), with conversations frequently cutting between high-level strategic vision and on-the-ground lessons learned from recent conflicts. Notable strengths include a steady stream of veteran and industry experts who translate complex tech and geopolitics into practical implications for policy, procurement, and alliance strategy. The format often features a mix of senior military/officer guests and defense-tech and policy specialists, yielding a rigorous, sometimes provocati... more

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Which podcasts are similar to War on the Rocks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with War on the Rocks:

1. Net Assessment
2. Modern War Institute
3. Irregular Warfare Podcast
4. School of War
5. The Foreign Affairs Interview

How many episodes of War on the Rocks are there?

War on the Rocks launched 13 years ago and published 337 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on War on the Rocks?

Recent guests on War on the Rocks include:

1. Dean Cheng
2. Mira Rapp-Hooper
3. Amanda Hsiao
4. Rose Gottemoeller
5. Frank Donovan
6. Phil Duong
7. Sándor Isik
8. Mike Kofman

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