With their powerful engines and aerodynamic frames, the following aircraft represent the pinnacle of fighter jet technology in terms of speed and performance.
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed to build the fastest aircraft in the world. In those early days, speed offered a pilot a critical advantage in combat; the faster aircraft could quickly intercept enemy fighters or bombers or outrun enemy air defenses.
In the latter stages of the Cold War, and throughout the modern era, air defense systems grew more and more sophisticated, leading to a doctrinal shift away from speed and toward greater stealth. For this reason, a fighter jet’s speed is no longer as important as it once was; new aircraft are usually for maneuverability and a low radar cross-section (RCS) at the expense of raw power. Therefore, many of the fastest military aircraft in US Air Force history are now out of service.
Still, fighter jets, both contemporary and historical, have been designed to achieve awe-inspiring speed milestones. Despite the de-emphasis on speed as a design cornerstone, the speed of a fighter jet still captures the imagination like few other metrics in aviation.
5. The F-4 Phantom II Was Loved by All Branches of the US Military
First developed by McDonnell Douglas in the 1950s and introduced into the US Air Force in 1960, the F-4 Phantom II is no longer in service, but it remains a hallmark of pure speed and agility. Capable of reaching Mach 2.23, the F-4 was a staple of the US military, with the Air Force, Navy, and Marines all operating the aircraft. Indeed, over 5,000 F-4s were built, and while the aircraft was not agile, it compensated with brute speed, setting 15 world records for speed, altitude, and time-to-climb during its career.
The Phantom was retired from the Air Force in 1996, but remained in service in South Korea until 2024—and a handful of antiquated Phantoms are still thought to be operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
4. The F-22 Raptor Combines Stealthiness and Speed
The F-22 Raptor, developed by Lockheed Martin and introduced into the Air Force in 2005, remains the world’s most advanced air superiority fighter The twin-engine Raptor has a top speed of Mach 2.25 (~1,500 mph). More impressively, the F-22 can sustain supersonic speeds without using its afterburners—a feature known as supercruise, which is exceedingly helpful for fuel economy.
With two Pratt & Whitney F1119 engines complete with thrust vectoring nozzles, the F-22 was not designed for pure speed. Instead, the aircraft was designed with compromises in favor of stealth and maneuverability. Despite this design philosophy, the F-22 proved to be more than fast enough for the Air Force’s needs—and remains the second-fastest platform currently serving in the US military.
3. The F-15 Eagle Remains Undefeated in Air Combat
The relatively unassuming McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, flown by the US Air Force since 1976, is a speed monster—the fastest aircraft currently serving in the Air Force, and one of the fastest jet fighters in history. Capable of reaching Mach 2.5 (1,875 mph), the F-15 features powerful twin engines, large control surfaces, and a rugged airframe optimized for speed, climb rates, and air superiority. The aircraft’s impressive thrust-to-weight ratio enables vertical acceleration and maintains speed during combat maneuvering. To date, the F-15 remains undefeated in air combat, with an estimated 104 enemy aircraft shot down against zero losses.
2. The F-111 Aardvark Was a Major Technological Leap
The F-111 Aardvark, developed by General Dynamics during the 1960s and first introduced in 1967, remains one of the fastest aircraft of all time, with top speeds exceeding Mach 2.5. First flown in 1964, the F-111 marked a significant technological leap forward—introducing terrain-following radar, an internal weapons bay, and variable-geometry wings. Designed for long-range bombing and strike missions, the F-111 relied on speed and range to serve its intended purpose. However, in the era of advanced air defenses, the plane’s lack of stealth would prove to be a major Achilles heel, leading to its gradual retirement in the late 1990s.
1. The SR-71 Blackbird’s Speed Records Are Still Unbroken
The SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest active-duty military aircraft ever built. Developed in secret at the legendary Lockheed Skunk Works lab through the early 1960s and first introduced in 1966, the SR-71 is a child of the Cold War, capable of reaching speeds above Mach 3.2 and altitudes above 85,000 feet—numbers that would be superlative even today, 60 years later.
With twin Pratt & Whitney J58 engines, the SR-71 set a myriad of speed and altitude records, maxing out at 2,200 miles per hour, which proved fast enough to outrun missiles and to cross continents in less than two hours. Although retired nearly 30 years ago, the SR-71 remains a legend in aviation circles.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Shutterstock / ranchorunner.
