With its top speed, armament power, stealth, and maneuverability, the F-22 remains one of the world’s best fighters.
To commemorate the passing of Col Gail Peck (ret.), the former commander of the legendary 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron, F-22s, MiG-29s, and MiG-21s flew in a unique formation flight last year over Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base. The “Red Eagles” were known for their highly-classified operations using Soviet-era fighter jets during the Cold War. In a video shared by pilot Jared Isaacman this week, the three distinct aircraft can be seen flying in this unprecedented formation. The memorial flyover took place on November 7, 2024, according to The War Zone. It is unlikely that this combination of combat jets will ever fly together in such a formation again, making this footage even more significant.
The F-22
As the first-ever fifth-generation fighter to take to the skies across the world, the American-made F-22 Raptor is legendary. Aviation buffs and military experts continue to marvel at the platform’s unmatched features. From its top speed, armament power, stealth, and maneuverability, the Lockheed Martin-designed jet remains one of the best fighters in service today. The jet’s minimized radar cross-section and twin trust-vectoring F119 turbofan engines enable it to outperform even its most competitive near peers in the skies. The Raptor can also pack a punch, able to carry six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders when in its air-to-air configuration. While the newer F-35 Lightning II is often touted as the most formidable fighter, its F-22 predecessor’s advanced specs and capabilities make it equally menacing to US adversaries.
The MiG-21
The Cold War-era MiG-21 “Fishbed” combat jet served as a frontline fighter for the USSR back in the day. Produced by manufacturer Mikoyan-Gurevich in the 1950s, the MiG-21 would become the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history. Rough 60 nations across the globe have flown the Fishbed over the years. Perhaps where the Soviet platform really shined was in terms of firepower. The MiG-21 could carry an internal cannon and between two to six missiles, although this combat jet actually preceded the missiles into service. The Soviet jet had a short range, similar to other interceptors designed at the time. The lightweight aircraft could fly at speeds up to Mach 2.0, powered by a low-powered afterburning turbojet.
The MiG-29
The Soviet’s MiG-29 “Fulcrum” arguably represented the most iconic Cold War-era fighter produced by the USSR. Designed specifically to be able to outperform the US-made F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon platforms, the Fulcrum featured several noteworthy characteristics. Notably, the MiG-29 was one of the first Soviet platforms produced to feature extensively lightweight aluminum-titanium alloys, which was critical for minimizing the overall weight and complexity of the platform. Over the years, several MiG-29 offspring variants were introduced in order for the platform to retain an edge over newer models. The Fulcrum would become a highly exported aircraft, sold to Iran, East Germany, India, Iraq, Poland, Syria, and other nations during its service history.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
