Code One began in 1986 as a product support publication for the F-16 and F-111 fighter aircraft communities.
The magazine has been on the forefront of aeronautical advancements, first covering what was then called the Advanced Tactical Fighter program—now the F-22—in 1991. We began covering Advanced Development Programs in 1993 with an article on the history of the Skunk Works. The first story on the Joint Strike Fighter program—now the F-35—came in 1994. In recognition of Aeronautics’ wide range of aircraft programs, the magazine expanded its coverage to include air mobility and maritime patrol and reconnaissance topics starting in 2003.
Code One is widely recognized for its top-flight photography, detailed feature articles on customer operations, customer interviews, and unique pieces on program histories. The magazine’s straightforward, let-the-operators-tell their story style has made the publication widely respected by operators around the world. This, in turn, has provided opportunities many media outlets never get, such as attending a Combat Hammer live weapons exercise or flying on a US Marine Corps KC-130J Havest HAWK armed surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence aircraft training mission.
Imagery and articles generated by Code One have been reprinted in numerous commercial aviation publications all over the world. Through the years, the publication and its associated Web site have been recognized by technical communications groups as well as readers in general for visual appeal and interesting and well-written articles, and for successfully addressing intended audiences with a captivating range of articles and photography.
Code One did away with the quarterly designation in 2008 and transitioned to a Volume/Number numbering scheme. The print edition was published on a roughly quarterly basis through 2013. The annual calendar was the last issue of the year from 2009 through 2012. Code One transitioned to one annual hard copy with limited distribution and monthly digital editions available free to anyone by request in 2014. Visitors to this site are encouraged to subscribe to the monthly digital edition.
