#fighter-jets

#fighter-jets

In October of 1947, Captain Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time. He flew over Rogers Dry Lake near Muroc Army Airfield (which was later renamed Edwards AFB in 1950) at 45,000 feet. Yeager zoomed over 700 mph, and a great sonic boom rang out across the Mojave Desert. Since this historical aeronautical event, countless others have accelerated past the speed of sound, and we continue to develop faster fighter jets.

Some of today's military aircraft (e.g., B-52 Stratofortress, KC-135 tanker, or C-130 transport) are based on original designs from the 1950s. They have been updated and improved over the years, but the fundamental structures remain similar to the original versions. However, modern fighters like the F-35, Rafale, Typhoon, J-20, or Su-57 are entirely new designs. Despite the latest technology and military advancements seen in fifth-generation fighter jets, today's militaries regularly purchase updated or re-manufactured variants of aircraft created more than 50 years ago.

To determine the fastest fighter jets in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of fighter jets from Military Factory, an online database of small arms, aircraft, and other military assets. We ranked these fighter jets in terms of top speed. We included supplementary information regarding the type of aircraft, year entered service, and armament. Here is a look at some of the fastest and most iconic fighter jets in the world: