Jane’s was founded in 1898 by Fred T. Jane who had begun sketching ships as an enthusiast naval artist while living in Portsmouth. This gradually developed into an encyclopaedic knowledge, culminating in the publishing of All the World’s Fighting Ships (1898). The company then gradually branched out into other arenas of military expertise. The books and trade magazines published by the company are often considered the de facto public source of information on warfare and transportation systems. Based in London for most of its existence, Jane’s Information group was acquired by IHS Inc. in June 2007, having previously been owned by The Woodbridge Company and before that the Thomson Corporation for a number of years. Major periodical competitors include Defense News, Flight International, Aviation Week & Space Technology and the Shephard Group. The company continues to provide open-source intelligence in the defence, security, aerospace and transportation sectors.
