Speed never goes out of style in air-to-air combat. It can provide pilots with the advantage of getting away, closing with or disengaging from an opponent, or getting to a target before the weather changes. Nowadays, however, aerial warfare combines velocity with stealth, sensors, and distance munitions. Still, some aircraft are renowned for sheer top speed. What follows is a human-scale countdown of ten of the fastest fighter aircraft that you can still see in flight today.
10. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
A Cold War workhorse, the F-4 established itself with brute power and not pretty aerodynamics. With dual GE J79 engines, it could cruise at about Mach 2.2 at altitude. Original Phantoms were constructed around missiles and did not have an internal gun at first, a combat lesson that was later reversed. Most air forces phased them out years ago, but some still fly the type in limited numbers.
9. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
The F-22 combines stealth and speed. It can reach speeds up to about Mach 2.25 at high altitude and can supercruise persistently above Mach 1.8 without afterburners — an unusual ability that enhances range and combat effectiveness. Made in limited quantities, the Raptor is still a one-of-a-kind capable jet in American service.
8. IAI Kfir
The Kfir started life as a Mirage derivative but with a far hotter engine, at speeds in the Mach 2.2–2.3 range. Older samples may not always meet textbook marks, but the combination of speed and agility of the Kfir has continued to make it effective for training, aggressor duty, and small operators.
7. Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum
Built to be a small, highly maneuverable fighter, the MiG-29 can accelerate to around Mach 2.3. Its twin-engine configuration and short fuselage provide it with excellent handling, though range is poor. At close-range dogfighting, pilot ability will tend to make the greatest difference, but the Fulcrum’s speed is still an important part of its arsenal.
6. Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Renowned for its variable-sweep wing and extended-range intercept capabilities, the F-14 had the capacity to fly above Mach 2.3 at altitude when clean and lightly loaded. Coupled with potent radar and extended-range missiles, it ruled carrier air defense for decades; its speed and reach of weapons combination made it a formidable foe of its time.
5. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger
A Cold War-era swing-wing interceptor, the MiG-23 was designed to be fast and for rapid reaction. It could hit about Mach 2.35 and had radar and longer-range weapons available for its day. It sacrificed some maneuverability for high-speed interception.
4. Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker
The Su-27 put raw power, range, and speed together — cruising around Mach 2.35 — and fathered a big family of competent derivatives. Its performance range and payload choices made it an effective backbone fighter for a lot of air forces globally.
3. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
Crafted to provide air supremacy, the F-15 became the fastest mass-produced fighter, with a speed of around Mach 2.5. Its unblemished combat record and continued performance highlighted a design that emphasized acceleration, climb, and payload while retaining pilot-friendly manners. Later variants of the F-15 extend performance in theory further.
2. Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound
Designed as a high-speed, long-range interceptor, the MiG-31 can accelerate to near-Mach 2.8 at altitude for brief durations. Operationally, in practice, limits will typically confine sustained high-speed flight to defend the airframe, but its raw speed, strong radar, and long-range missiles make it an effective interceptor when necessary.
1. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat
The MiG-25 is still the speed standard for fighters. Designed to pursue high-altitude, high-speed interlopers, it was capable of sustaining over Mach 2.8 for brief bursts at extreme altitudes. That unyielding emphasis on speed took a toll on maneuverability, but on pure straight-line speed, few designs ever came close.
Why Modern Fighters Aren’t Chasing Speed Alone
Most of the fastest aircraft were creations of the Cold War’s excessive requirements. Nowadays, designers value low observability, sensor integration, networked munitions, and fuel economy. High top speed still has uses — particularly for interceptors — but at the expense of high fuel consumption, increased structural stress, and counteraction to stealth and range. Even purely conceptual sixth-generation fighters are spoken of with top speeds in the Mach 2–2.5 range and not in pursuit of ever-increasing figures. Today’s air warfare involves more balance than outright top speed.