by When it comes to the question of fastest fighter jetyou can choose to compare only those fighter jets that are still in service, or you can think of every last fighter jet that ever took to the skies – and we chose to go with the latter.
As far as aviation technology goes, fighter jets have long been at the forefront, pushing the limits of altitude and performance. Unlike commercial airlines, they emphasize speed and maneuverability, and many also have stealth capabilities, the ability to fire air-to-air missiles and other unique features.
Considering how high these military aircraft have to be — the pilot’s life usually depends on it — each one is a huge feat of engineering, paving the way for future fighter jets to be faster, more better powered and equipped. To celebrate this innovative spirit, here are seven of the fastest jets in the entire history of aviation.
1. NASA X-43
The X-43, an experimental aircraft, has the distinction of not only being the fastest fighter jet but the fastest aircraft period ever built, having reached a top speed of Mach 9.6.
As part of the $230 million Hyper-X program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed the X-43 to explore hypersonic flight. In doing so, the US agency broke speed records and pushed the boundaries of aerospace engineering.
Technical Difficulties
Due to the design of the X-43, NASA had to launch it from a B-52 in order to fly it. Once airborne, however, the flights were short-lived.
NASA destroyed the first jet in 2001 when it malfunctioned during testing. In 2004, each of the other two jets flew for exactly 10 seconds (reaching Mach 6.8 and then Mach 9.6, respectively) during test flights, and then crashed into the ocean after 10 minutes of gliding .
Technically Disqualified?
Some argue that the X-43 does not count as a fighter jet, since it was an unmanned experimental aircraft focused on speed rather than dogfighting.
However, given the federal backing of the project and the military implications of its achievement, others consider this supersonic aircraft to be the fastest fighter jet of all time.
2. North America X-15
The X-15 was another ground-breaking aircraft, a joint project between NASA and the United States Air Force (USAF) in the pursuit of speed and a predecessor to the X-43. Capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 6, the rocket-powered jet was under development during the 1950s and ’60s.
The Fastest Flight in a Manned Aircraft
Like the X-43, the X-15 had to ride into the sky on a B-52, but unlike the X-43, it was a manned aircraft. In 1967, pilot Pete Knight made history by flying Mach 6.72, or 6.72 times the speed of sound, in the X-15, marking the fastest flight in a manned aircraft ever recorded.
Honorable Retirement
The high-speed aircraft underwent 199 test flights before NASA and the USAF retired the X-15 in 1968. A famous USAF photo from the 1960s shows an X-15 flying over Edwards Air Force Base during a supersonic flight.
3. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
No discussion of fast fighter jets would be complete without mentioning the legendary Lon Dubh SR-71.
Developed during the Cold War era, this reconnaissance aircraft reached a top speed of Mach 3.30 at more than 16 miles (85,000 feet or 25,908 meters) above the earth. Due to the danger of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, the Blackbird crew members wore a pressure suit similar to an astronaut’s suit.
The US military needed a fighter jet that could take out interceptors and other surface-to-air missile systems, and in the Blackbird the USAF found the speed it was looking for.
The aircraft’s sleek black profile and unmatched speed capabilities earned it a reputation as the pinnacle of aerospace technology and a symbol of American air modernization.
4. Bell X-2 Starbuster
In the early days of supersonic flight, the Bell X-2 Starbuster emerged as a pioneering aircraft, a forerunner for future jets, including the X-43 and X-15.
The X-2 was the result of a 1945 collaboration between Bell Aircraft Corporation, the USAF and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
Glory and Tragedy
In 1956, Capt. Milburn G. “Mel” Apt the sound barrier when he reached a top speed of Mach 3.20 in the X-2, making him the first person to fly faster than Mach 3.
Unfortunately, after setting this record, the jet went into a tumble. Although Apt released the escape capsule he was riding in, he was unable to deploy his parachute before the capsule crashed.
5. Lockheed YF-12
The USAF developed the Lockheed YF-12 as a prototype interceptor in the 1960s because it needed a jet that could fly at high altitudes while protecting military assets from enemy supersonic bombers.
Lockheed and the military built three of these aircraft, at least one of which reached a maximum speed of Mach 3.20 during testing.
Unfortunately, the USAF eventually withdrew funding for the YF-12 program, instead diverting funds to other needs related to the Vietnam War. Although the United States never put this jet fighter into full production, the performance of this impressive aircraft led to the development of other high-speed military aircraft.
The only remaining plane is on display at the USAF National Museum in Ohio.
6. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Fox
The Soviet Union developed the MiG-25, also known by its NATO codename “Foxbat,” during the Cold War. An excellent interceptor aircraft, known for its blistering high speeds, the MiG-25 had a top speed of Mach 2.83 and entered service in 1970.
Enemy Intel
When Soviet fighter pilot Victor Belenko defected to Japan in 1976, he flew there in a MiG-25. As a result, the US military was able to obtain a wealth of information on the Foxbat.
The fighter jet was designed by the Soviet Union to counter the threat posed by high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and bombers. Equipped with advanced radar systems and four air-to-air missiles, the MiG-25 posed a significant challenge to Western air forces.
A Long Legacy
The Soviet Union stopped producing the MiG-25 decades ago, but that didn’t stop them from participating in subsequent world conflicts. For example, Iraq flew MiG-25 aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf War.
7. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 Fox
Building on the legacy of the MiG-25, the MiG-3, or “Foxhound,” emerged as a successor to intercept and engage high-speed targets. With a maximum speed of Mach 2.83, this fighter jet first appeared in the skies in 1975, and is still used by the Russian air force, known as VVS.
The MiG-31 has a classic fighter jet silhouette and excels in aerial combat. While a pilot controls the airspeed and altitude, a weapon systems officer (WSO) focuses on operating the radar and deploying weapons.
Compared to the MiG-25, the Foxhound has improved radar and avionics capabilities, allowing it to fly quickly with good stability at low altitudes – something its predecessor could not do as well.
This article was created in collaboration with AI technology, then fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
Original article: The Fastest Fighter Jet in History: The NASA X-43
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