List of magazines about military aviation
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
A concise roster of leading military aviation magazines shows a mix of commercial monthlies from Key Publishing, specialist service journals tied to associations, independent review titles and online outlets; prominent names repeatedly cited in publisher catalogs and association sites include Combat Aircraft Journal, AirForces Monthly, ARMY AVIATION (Army Aviation Magazine), Military Aviation Review, plus historic-aviation titles such as FlyPast and Aeroplane that also cover military subjects [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
1. Combat Aircraft Journal — North America’s best‑selling military aviation monthly
Combat Aircraft Journal is presented by Key Publishing as “North America’s Best‑selling Military Aviation Magazine,” featuring in‑depth reporting, squadron access, pilot interviews and extensive photography; it is available in print and e‑magazine formats via KeyAero and third‑party vendors such as Pocketmags and Key Publishing’s shop [1] [6] [7] [8]. The publisher emphasizes world exclusives and authoritative features, and promotes subscription bundles and page‑turning digital editions that centralize several of its aviation titles under a paid KeyAero service [5] [7].
2. AirForces Monthly — modern air arms and global news reporting
AirForces Monthly is described on KeyAero as a title “devoted to modern military aircraft and their air arms,” with an editorial model built around regional news, conflict coverage and a network of freelance reporters that the publisher claims delivers unrivalled news coverage from theaters and air forces less covered elsewhere [2]. It is positioned as essential reading for those seeking comprehensive, up‑to‑date reporting on the strengths, exercises and equipment of world air arms [2].
3. ARMY AVIATION / Army Aviation Magazine — the branch‑focused professional journal
Army Aviation Magazine (branded ARMY AVIATION Magazine on the Army Aviation Association of America site) serves as the official journal of the Army Aviation Association of America and focuses tightly on rotorcraft, doctrine, sustainment and community issues; its media kit and circulation statements underline close links to congressional caucuses, senior Army leadership and acquisition stakeholders, making it both a professional information source and an advocacy vehicle for the aviation branch [9] [10] [3]. That institutional connection is an explicit editorial context readers should weigh when seeking independent analysis [10].
4. Military Aviation Review and specialist historic titles (FlyPast, Aeroplane)
Independent and niche titles complement the field: Military Aviation Review offers subscription options aimed at enthusiasts and researchers and appears as a continuing UK publication with print and digital subscriptions available [4], while Key Publishing’s broader catalog highlights FlyPast and Aeroplane as leading historic and preservation‑oriented magazines that nevertheless carry detailed military aircraft articles spanning WWI through the Cold War and into modern preservation reporting [5].
5. Online outlets and the changing delivery landscape
Beyond print, outlets such as The War Zone operate as digital platforms covering air, sea, land, space and cyber domains and regularly produce long‑form reporting and analysis on military aviation topics; while not a traditional magazine, such sites function as influential, frequently updated sources that sit alongside paid monthlies in readers’ news diets [11]. Publishers are also converging on subscription ecosystems (KeyAero’s cross‑title access and Pocketmags distribution), which affects discoverability, paywalls and the commercial incentives shaping which stories run [5] [8].
6. Limitations, sourcing and how to pick among titles
This list reflects titles surfaced in the supplied reporting and publisher/association pages; it is not an exhaustive catalog of every global military aviation magazine and does not assert the absence of other reputable outlets beyond those cited here — readers seeking subject depth should match title focus to needs (modern combat aircraft, service‑level doctrine, historical preservation or independent analysis) and factor publisher agendas (Key Publishing’s commercial bundling; AAAA’s institutional advocacy for Army Aviation) into assessments of editorial perspective [5] [10]. For subscriptions and back issues, the sources point to direct publisher shops and digital distributors as primary purchase channels [7] [8].