Fighter Jets

The vertical takeoff fighter built for close support and expeditionary operations.

The strike aircraft designed for low-level penetration and all-weather attack

The Bell P-59 Airacomet was America's first jet: 66 built, 413 mph, never in combat. See why it failed as a fighter and where the survivors are.

Maritime strike aircraft introduced in 1962

The EA-18G Growler is the only carrier-based jammer in service. Full specs, the $68.2M unit cost, the new ALQ-249 pod, and how it differs from the F/A-18.

F-15E Strike Eagle: the two-seat F-15 built for deep strike, its real top speed, range and cost, and how it fought in the 2026 war with Iran.

F-15EX Eagle II: Boeing's Mach 2.5 fighter that carries 12 AMRAAMs, why the Air Force now plans 267, and what it kept from the Silent Eagle.

The advanced strike fighter concept built to blend stealth with proven performance.

The F/A-18 Hornet was the first US jet built to fight and strike in one sortie. Specs, variants, combat record and who still flies it in 2026.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet is the Navy's main carrier strike fighter. Specs explained, the $67.4M unit cost, Block III, and how it differs from the Hornet.

The Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon is China's single-engine delta-canard fighter. See its history, J-10A to J-10C variants, engines, operators and combat debut.

The Chengdu J-20 is China's Mach 2 stealth fighter. Inside its canard delta layout, WS-10C and WS-15 engines, weapons bays, variants and 500-jet fleet.

The Chengdu J-7 (F-7) is China's copy of the MiG-21: about 2,400 built, retired by China in 2023, still flown by Pakistan, Bangladesh and others.

F-106 Delta Dart specs and history: a Mach 2.3 interceptor that hit 1,525 mph, carried a nuclear rocket and never saw combat. Variants and survivors.

The upgraded delta fighter built for modern multirole combat.

The Dassault Rafale is France's twin-engine, delta-wing omnirole fighter. See its variants, engines, weapons, combat record, operators and cost.

The twin-boom naval fighter built for fleet air defense.

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat attack jet with a 674 mph top speed and a 1,739 nm range. History, engines, variants, and combat record.

Mid-wing jet fighter aircraft introduced in 1951

First fighter aircraft that could surpass Mach 1 in level flight

The Eurofighter Typhoon is Europe's twin-engine canard-delta fighter, with 769 ordered by 10 nations. Its speed, weapons, variants, cost and operators.

A-10 Warthog specs, GAU-8 cannon, combat record and retirement plan: 716 built, 381 kt clean top speed, and about 103 airframes left in 2026.

The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark was the first production swing-wing strike jet. Read its history, variants, combat record and what the specs mean.

The A-6 Intruder flew all-weather strikes for the US Navy and Marines from 1963 to 1997. Its specs, 693 built, 84 lost in Vietnam and what replaced it.

The F-14 Tomcat flew U.S. Navy fleet defense from 1974 to 2006 with the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. See its specs, variants, combat record, and why it retired.

The Grumman F11F (F-11) Tiger was a Navy supersonic fighter that flew with the Blue Angels and shot itself down in 1956. History, speed and retirement.

The Grumman F9F Panther was the Navy's first jet to fight in the air. Its Korean War record, variants, famous pilots, the Blue Angels and where to see one.

The F9F-6 Cougar was the Navy's first swept-wing carrier fighter. 646 were built, it flew from 1951, and it missed Korea. Specs and history.

The indigenous light fighter built to modernize India’s combat fleet.

The Hawker Hunter was Britain's transonic fighter, with 1,972 built and a 727.63 mph record. See its history, variants, combat record and who still flies it.

The vertical takeoff attack aircraft built for expeditionary operations.

The KAI FA-50 Fighting Eagle is a supersonic light fighter built on the T-50 trainer. See its engine, speed, Block 20 and 70 upgrades, and who flies it.

The high-speed interceptor built around a powerful engine and slender wings.

The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the USAF's first jet all-weather interceptor. Its T-33 roots, the F-94A, B and rocket-armed C, its Korea record and specs.

F-16 Fighting Falcon specs and history: the Mach 2 single-engine Viper, more than 4,600 built, its combat record, Block 70 jets and US service.

F-22 Raptor specs, Mach 2.25 top speed, the $143 million unit cost, and why the Air Force built just 186 of its first stealth air superiority fighter.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II specs, variants and cost: one F135 engine at 43,000 lb thrust, Mach 1.6 top speed and a $92 million flyaway price.

The P-80 Shooting Star was America's first operational jet fighter. Built in 143 days, it fought over Korea as the F-80, and 1,714 were produced.

Prototype interceptor aircraft and the basis for the SR-71 Blackbird

LTV A-7 Corsair II specs explained: the 15,000 lbf TF41 turbofan, 15,000 lb of ordnance, A-7A to A-7E variants, and combat from Vietnam to Desert Storm.

F-15 Eagle: the McDonnell Douglas air superiority fighter with a 100-plus to zero air combat record, Mach 2.5 top speed, and an F-15EX future.

The supersonic fighter built for air superiority and strike missions worldwide.

The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo: 807 built, a 1,207.6 mph world speed record, RF-101 photo runs over Cuba and Vietnam, and a nuclear-armed interceptor.

The Me 163 Komet was the only rocket-powered fighter to fight in a war. Its top speed, 7.5 minutes of fuel, kill record and deadly fuel, explained.

The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the first operational jet fighter, 120 mph faster than a P-51. Its history, 540 mph specs, kills and which still fly.

The MiG-35 is Russia's upgraded MiG-29 multirole fighter, a 4++ generation jet with RD-33MK engines. Specs, radar, weapons, variants and how few are in service.

MiG-25 Foxbat facts: the Mach 2.83 Soviet steel interceptor, its 123,524 ft altitude record, the Belenko defection, variants and who still flies it.

The export interceptor built for high-speed long-range defense.

MiG-15 Fagot specs and history: a 598 kt Soviet jet fighter built on a copied British engine that outclassed US jets over Korea, plus its flaws.

The MiG-17 Fresco was the Soviet swept-wing fighter that shot down F-105s over Vietnam. Specs, variants, production and where it still flies.

Fighter aircraft of the Mikoyan-Gurevich introduced in March 1955

The supersonic interceptor that became one of the most produced fighters in history.

The MiG-23 Flogger: Soviet swing-wing fighter, Mach 2.35, more than 5,000 built. MiG-23MLD specs, variants, combat record and where it still flies.

The MiG-27 Flogger was the Soviet swing-wing ground-attack jet built on the MiG-23. Its history, variants, India's Bahadur and why it retired.

The first turbojet fighter built after World War II

The experimental interceptor built to push Soviet speed and altitude records.

Close air support, ground attack, and anti-ship aircraft introduced in 1978

The Mitsubishi F-2 is Japan's F-16-based fighter with a bigger composite wing and an AESA radar. See how it differs, who flies it and what replaces it.

The North American A-5 Vigilante was a Mach 2 carrier bomber that became the Navy's RA-5C recon jet. Specs, history, Vietnam losses and retirement.

The F-86 Sabre was America's first swept-wing jet fighter. USAF pilots claimed 792 MiG-15s in Korea, and a few Sabres still fly as warbirds.

The F-100 Super Sabre was the first USAF fighter to go supersonic in level flight. 2,294 were built, and it flew 360,283 combat sorties in Vietnam.

Unsuccessful prototype fighter-bomber in the 1950s

First jet aircraft that served the United States Navy, introduced in October 1947

Carrier capable fighter aircraft introduced in 1954

Carrier fighter retired in the late 1960s

The Northrop F-20 Tigershark was a Mach 2 light fighter Northrop paid for itself. Three flew, none sold, and the $1.2 billion program ended in 1986.

The Northrop F-5 Tiger II is a Mach 1.6 light fighter. Over 2,600 were built, and the US Navy still flies it as the enemy in combat training.

The Northrop YF-17 Cobra lost the USAF Lightweight Fighter contest to the YF-16, then became the F/A-18 Hornet. Design, flights and where the two prototypes are now.

The Northrop YF-23 Black Widow II was rated stealthier and faster than the YF-22, yet lost the ATF race. Why it lost, how it flew and where both are now.

The F-105 Thunderchief was a Mach 2 fighter-bomber that flew most early U.S. strikes on North Vietnam. Its history, Wild Weasels, losses and specs.

The Republic F-84 Thunderjet went from a failing 1947 fighter to the USAF's main strike jet in Korea. Variants, F-84E vs F-84G, handling and retirement.

The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak emerged in the early 1950s as a swept-wing development of the F-84. Designed for improved performance, it served primarily as a fighter-bomber. The aircraft became widely deployed within NATO forces.

The Swedish strike fighter built for dispersed Cold War operations.

The early Swedish jet fighter built for postwar air defense.

The Saab 35 Draken was Sweden's double-delta Cold War interceptor: 651 built, Mach 2, road-base ready, never fired in anger. History, variants and operators.

The Anglo-French strike aircraft built for precision attack and export success

The stealth fighter prototype built for export and future carrier operations.

The Shenyang J-11 is China's licence-built Su-27 Flanker. Its history, J-11A, J-11B and J-11D variants, weapons, numbers in service and what J 11 means.

J-15 fighter specs, variants and history: China's carrier-based Flanker flies from Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian, with 116+ built and Mach 2.17 top speed.

The Shenyang J-16 is China's twin-seat strike fighter, built on the Su-30MKK with AESA radar, a 77,000 lb max weight, and Mach 2 speed.

J-35 fighter jet specs, variants and history: China's Mach 1.8 stealth fighter launches from carrier Fujian, with the land-based J-35A in PLAAF service.

Chinese-built fighter aircraft introduced in 1957

Chinese-built fighter aircraft introduced in the 1960s

Chinese interceptor fighter aircraft

The Su-24 Fencer is a Soviet swing-wing strike jet that first flew in 1967. See its speed, range, variants, combat record and who still operates it.

The Su-25 Frogfoot is the Soviet armored attack jet built in 1978 and still fighting in Ukraine. Armor, weapons, variants and losses, explained.

The Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker hits Mach 2.35, carries 10 hardpoints and 20,700 lb of internal fuel, and still flies for both sides of the war in Ukraine.

The Su-30 explained: how the Su-27PU became the MKI, MKK and SM, who flies it, its combat record, how it compares with the F-15E, and its cost.

The Su-33 is Russia's carrier-based Flanker: 24 built, ski-jump launches from the Admiral Kuznetsov, a Syria combat debut in 2016, and an uncertain future.

The strike aircraft built for long-range tactical bombing missions.

The Sukhoi Su-35 is Russia's thrust-vectoring Flanker: Mach 2.25, Irbis-E radar, who flies it, what it really costs and how many Ukraine has shot down.

The Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut is Russia's one-off forward-swept wing fighter demonstrator, first flown in 1997. Why only one was built, and where it is now.

The Su-57 Felon is Russia's fifth-generation stealth fighter: Mach 2 top speed, Mach 1.3 supercruise, 2,170-mile range, and 44 built as of 2026.

The first jet fighter to enter service with the FAA

Supermarine naval strike fighter introduced in 1957

First British aircraft with swept wings

Largest and heaviest Soviet interceptor aircraft introduced in the mid-1960s

The early jet fighter built for U.S. Navy carrier trials.

Naval multirole fighter introduced in 1951

The Vought F-8 Crusader was the first carrier fighter to top 1,000 mph. See its specs, variants, 19-to-3 Vietnam kill claim, and why it retired.

A tandem two seat fighter aircraft of the Xian Aircraft Industry Corporation.

The Yakovlev Yak-130 is Russia's two-seat jet trainer and light attack aircraft: Mach 0.93, nine hardpoints, who flies it, its price and its combat use.

Soviet vertical takeoff / landing (VTOL) fighter aircraft

Turbojet-powered combat aircraft introduced in 1960

The VTOL fighter built for Soviet naval aviation.