2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of From Balloons to Drones. To mark this anniversary, From Balloons to Drones plans to publish a series of articles examining the state of air power studies.
In 2017, From Balloons to Drones that asked the question ‘Wither Air Power Studies?.’ More recently, in a 2024 article on ‘Some Problems with Airpower History,’ Professor John Ferris reflected on the field of air power history, noting that ‘[d]espite its problems, airpower history is in the best state it has known. Just a few steps would bring it to the quality of naval history.’[1] Those steps are to recognise the problems associated with the field, embrace the comparative and transnational nature of airpower history, and welcome new voices to the field. These steps can be applied to a broader field of air power studies, not just air power history.
To mark the 10th Anniversary of the scholarly webzine, From Balloons to Drones is seeking submissions on the state of air power studies. Articles might, for example, explore the development of a subfield of air power studies (e.g., history, law, ethics) or its place in academia. Possible themes to be explored might include, but are not limited to:
History | Role in Professional Military Education | Place in Armed Forces
Place in Academia | Ethical and Moral Issues
National Experiences | International Experiences | Transnational Experiences
Personal Experiences | Memory and Memorialisation
We are looking for articles between 500 and 4,000 words, but we will accept longer pieces and reserve the right to publish them in parts. Please visit our submissions page for more information on the types of articles published by From Balloons to Drones.
We plan to begin running the series in early 2026, and it will continue for as long as we receive potential contributions. We welcome and encourage submissions from academics, policymakers, service personnel, and relevant professionals.
Submissions should be submitted in Word format and emailed to the email address below with ‘SUBMISSION – Wither Air Power Studies?’ in the subject line. Also, please include a 50-100-word biography with your submission. Footnotes are acceptable; please be careful to explain any jargon. If you are unsure if your idea fits our requirements, please email us with ‘POTENTIAL SUBMISSION – Wither Air Power Studies’ in the subject line to discuss.
If you are interested in contributing, please email our Editor-in-Chief, Dr Ross Mahoney, at airpowerstudies@gmail.com or use our contact page.
Header image: A Republic P-47D Thunderbolt on display at the American Air Museum at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, UK. (Author’s Personal Collection)
[1] John Ferris, ‘Some Problems with Airpower History,’ Journal of Military and Strategic Studies 23, no. 1 (2024), p. 31.
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