Breaking the Barrier: The World's Fastest Figher Jets
Fighter jets are renowned for their shrieking speed but even among planes that regularly break the speed of sound these babies move fast enough to melt your face and question reality.
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (1966–1999)
While technically not a fighter, the Blackbird used speed as a weapon, which was enough to blow minds. It could travel at over Mach 3.3 (that’s three times the speed of sound) and didn’t evade missiles - it out flew them!
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 "Foxbat" (1970–present in Limited Use)
The Foxbat was a Soviet Interceptor built to chase American planes with an official top speed of Mach 2.83 (some test flights record Mach 3, but that melted its engines). It was crafted from pure steel, since titanium was too rare and expensive.
Mikoyan MiG-31 "Foxhound" (1981–present)
The MiG-31 is the Foxbat’s big brother, capable of the same speeds but everything else on it is bigger and better - its fuel tanks, radar, and even its missiles. Unlike other jets of its size, it can fly incredibly fast at low altitudes.
McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle (1976–present)
The F-15 Eagle is a champion fighter of the skies, moving at speeds of over Mach 2.5 with an unbeatable combat record; it has never been shot down in air-to-air combat. In fact, one had a mid-air collision in 1983 and landed with just one wing!
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark (1967–1998)
Don’t let the name fool you - the Aardvark could fly like a bird on swing-wings that move in-flight depending on its speed. Although it’s not a pure fighter, it can hit Mach 2.5 while carrying nukes and fly low enough to avoid radar. We’re talking tree-skimming heights, here.
Chengdu J-20 "Mighty Dragon" (2017–present)
The exact speed that the Chinese Mighty Dragon hits is shrouded in secrecy, but it’s estimated to be at least Mach 2. It lacks the agility of Western fighters, but the J-20 makes up for it with range and stealth - like a ninja with bombs.
Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" (1985–present)
The Su-27 is like Marvel’s Black Widow; a Russian fighter created for maneuverability. It dances around opponents and delivers pinpoint strikes, all at speeds of up to Mach 2.35 before delivering a sultry wink of superiority. Usually in the form of a missile.
Sukhoi Su-57 "Felon" (2020–present)
The NATO-given Su-57 nickname “Felon” is accurate - the jet’s fast, deadly and constantly on the run. It’s capable of Mach 2+ and shakes off its opponents with a combination of anti-radar tech and jaw-dropping aerobatics. It’s also effective against targets on land, in the air or at sea.
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (2005–present)
The Raptor is America’s first fifth-gen stealth fighter and it’s designed to strike then vanish without leaving a trace. With that in mind, it’s basically invisible to radar and while it can do over Mach 2 its real secret weapon is supercruise; going supersonic without using afterburners.
Convair F-106 Delta Dart (1959–1988)
The Delta Dart was a response to Cold War fear and designed with the express intention of blowing threats out of the sky before they got too close - it even came loaded with a nuclear-tipped missile! It could hit Mach 2.3 and once landed itself with little damage.
Dassault Mirage 2000 (1984–present)
The French fighter ditched the two-engine dynamic and flies at Mach 2.2 with a single delta wing, but it looks more like a work of art than a deadly weapon! Nevertheless, it’s agile and capable of multiple roles, including bombing and dogfighting.
Eurofighter Typhoon (2003–present)
Another multirole fighter, the Typhoon’s recorded speeds of Mach 2+ and its secret weapon is that it constantly wants to fall out of the sky! The design’s unstable but ingenious, granting the vehicle an agility so responsive that pilots describe it as “wearing the jet.”
Mikoyan MiG-21 "Fishbed" (1959–present)
The Fishbed isn’t just a Mach 2 legend from the cold war; it’s also one of the most mass-produced jets in history! Let’s be honest, it won’t win any beauty contests, but it’s built cheaply and simply, and as a result it’s easy to maintain.
Sukhoi Su-35 (2008–present)
If gymnasts loaded themselves up on caffeine and had a tendency to outdance missiles in the sky, you’d get something close to the Su-35. Not only can it hit Mach 2.25, but it uses 3D thrust vectoring to twist in the sky and avoid missiles.
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II (1960–1996)
It looks like a kid’s science fair project, but the F-4 Phantom II is a U.S.-built swiss army knife that can fit any role required of it. Even though it’s loud, brash and ugly, it can reach Mach 2.23 and has been used in engagements from Vietnam to the Gulf War.
North American XB-70 Valkyrie (1964–1969, Experimental)
Technically a bomber, the Valkyrie was built to outrun anything - including nuclear bombs - at speeds of Mach 3+ but it was too fast for its own good. Only two were ever built: one had a midair collision during a publicity flight, and the other was retired to a museum.
Grumman F-14 Tomcat (1974–2006)
The Tomcat is best known as the iconic jet Maverick flew in “Top Gun” and this kitty could scratch! It could reach Mach 2.34 and at top speeds its wings folded back like sheathed claws.
Saab JAS 39 Gripen (1996–present)
Sweden created this single-engine scalpel of destruction, an unassuming multirole fighter that doesn’t look like much but can reach Mach 2 and dance like a leaf on the breeze. “Gripen” translates to “Griffin,” the flying chimeric predator of mythology.
HAL Tejas (2015–present)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) built the Indian Tejas to reduce reliance on foreign jets and they created a lightweight, high agility multirole fighter that can hit Mach 1.6 or more. It took over 30 years to go from concept to build!
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (2015–present)
At Mach 1.6 the Lightning II isn’t the fastest jet on the list, but it excels at stealth and has tech coming out the wazoo. It’s capable of detecting, jamming and shooting targets, shutting them down silently like an assassin.
