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. Several of America’s supersonic jets are capable of reaching Mach 2 speeds (1,535 mph), while only a very few aircraft (like the SR-71, not a fighter jet) have reached Mach 3. In fact, the U.S. has no current operational fighter jet capable of Mach 3.
To determine the fastest modern fighter jets, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Military Factory’s catalogs of third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation aircraft. We ranked each aircraft by its maximum speed. We included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding the type of aircraft, the year it was introduced, country of origin, manufacturer, and production. We excluded aircraft that did not make it out of the prototype or proposal stage.
One such aircraft is the F-105 Thunderchief, which was capable of traveling at speeds of 1,390 mph. The F-105 Thunderchief, which entered service in 1958, was retired in 1984. Despite its age, it remains one of the fastest tactical fighter-bombers ever built.
This post was updated on October 7, 2025 to clarify fighters vs. interceptors/strike aircraft, the details of Yeager’s flight, the current status of the F-105 Thunderchief, and U.S. jets that reached Mach 3.
Why Are We Covering This?
Fighter jets represent the best that aviation and military technology have to offer. Documenting the fastest ones allows us to track technological progress in aviation, which often reflects broader advancements in engineering, materials science, and aerodynamics. In addition, ownership of these jets is an important factor when considering international relations and military strength.
Here is a look at the fastest fighter jets in the world:
28. F-CK-1 (Ching-Kuo)
- Maximum speed: 1,379 mph
- Type: Lightweight multirole fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1994
- Country of origin: Taiwan
- Manufacturer: Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation
27. Dassault Rafale
- Maximum speed: 1,383 mph
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 2001
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
26. MiG-21 (Fishbed)
- Maximum speed: 1,386 mph
- Type: Single-seat supersonic fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1959
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan-Gurevich
25. F-105 Thunderchief
- Maximum speed: 1,390 mph
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1958
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Corporation
24. Chengdu J-10 (Vicious Dragon)
- Maximum speed: 1,452 mph
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 2005
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAIC) / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
23. Mirage F1
- Maximum speed: 1,453 mph
- Type: Interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1973
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
22. Mirage 2000 (M2000)
- Maximum speed: 1,453 mph
- Type: Strike fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1979
- Country of origin: France
- Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
21. Shenyang J-8 / J-8 II (Finback)
- Maximum speed: 1,453 mph
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1980
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Aviation Industry Corporation of China
20. F-4 Phantom II
- Maximum speed: 1,473 mph
- Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1960
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
19. Panavia Tornado ADV
- Maximum speed: 1,479 mph
- Type: Air defense fighter / interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1985
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH / British Aviation Systems
18. Panavia Tornado IDS
- Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
- Type: Low-level strike aircraft
- Year introduced: 1979
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH / British Aviation Systems
17. Panavia Tornado ECR
- Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
- Type: Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) Aircraft
- Year introduced: 1990
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH / British Aviation Systems / MBB
16. Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E / Super Flanker)
- Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
- Type: Multi-role heavy combat fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 2014
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB
15. MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F)
- Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
- Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 2020
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: Russian Aircraft Corporation MIG
14. IAI Kfir (Lion Cub)
- Maximum speed: 1,516 mph
- Type: Multi-role combat aircraft
- Year introduced: 1976
- Country of origin: Israel
- Manufacturer: Israel Aircraft Industries
13. MiG-29 (Fulcrum)
- Maximum speed: 1,519 mph
- Type: Lightweight multi-role fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1984
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
12. Grumman F-14 Tomcat
- Maximum speed: 1,544 mph
- Type: Swing-wing, carrier-based fleet defense fighter
- Year introduced: 1974
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft
11. Eurofighter Typhoon (EF2000)
- Maximum speed: 1,550 mph
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 2003
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: BAe Systems / Eurofighter GmbH
10. MiG-23 (Flogger)
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Swing-wing fighter-interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1970
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan-Gurevich
9. Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker)
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Multi-role air superiority fighter
- Year introduced: 1985
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
8. Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D)
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Carrier-based air defense fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1994
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB
7. Shenyang J-11 (Flanker B+)
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Multi-role air superiority fighter
- Year introduced: 1998
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
6. Mitsubishi F-2
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 2000
- Country of origin: Japan
- Manufacturer: Mitsubishi / Lockheed Martin
5. F-22 Raptor
- Maximum speed: 1,534 mph
- Type: Air dominance fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 2005
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Boeing / Lockheed Martin
4. Sukhoi Su-57 (Felon)
- Maximum speed: 1,616 mph
- Type: Multi-role stealth aircraft
- Year introduced: 2019
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
3. F-15E Strike Eagle
- Maximum speed: 1,653 mph
- Type: Strike fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1988
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
2. Mig-31 (Foxhound)
- Maximum speed: 1,864 mph
- Type: Supersonic interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1979
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
1. F-15 Eagle
- Maximum speed: 1,875 mph
- Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1976
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks