On June 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to discuss the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Denmark and the Netherlands have agreed to supply Ukraine with the aircraft to assist in the war against Russia. Zelenskyy said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “I am grateful to Mette Frederiksen for participating in the Peace Summit and for Denmark’s active assistance in engaging the countries of the Global South in the Peace Formula implementation.”
First introduced by the U.S. in the 1970s, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is still often flown by militaries today. 24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of aircraft (including the F-16) currently used in modern air forces. We reviewed the Military Factory catalogs of third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation aircraft to identify the oldest and newest fighter jets in modern air forces. We’ve added other information from the Military Factory, including aircraft type, top speed, country of origin, manufacturer, and production for each aircraft. Only aircraft currently in service with production runs of at least 10 were included.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon comes in 33rd on our list. The jet is produced by the U.S. and four other European NATO countries in an agreement that provides a common-use aircraft for NATO and also helps encourage technology sharing among friendly nations. (These are the largest air forces on Earth.)
Although it’s been around for nearly five decades, the F-16 isn’t the oldest jet on our list. That would go to the MiG-21 (Fishbed) introduced in 1959 by the Soviet Union. Interestingly, the newest jet on the list is also a MiG, introduced in 2020 by Russia. However, the U.S. is currently testing sixth-generation fighter jetswhichare expected to be ready by 2030. (Here is the newest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force.)
Why Are We Writing About Combat Aircraft?
Source: Thomas Trompeter / Shutterstock.com
The strength of a country’s military is a key component in how that country projects geopolitical power. Modern militaries today need to have a strong air force. Although the U.S. is working on developing even newer forms of aircraft, it’s interesting to see how many older fighter jets are still operational and effectively used in militaries around the world today.
Here are the oldest and newest fighter jets in modern air forces.
42. MiG-21 (Fishbed)
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1959
Type: Single-seat supersonic fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,386 mph
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Mikoyan-Gurevich
Production run: 11,496
41. F-4 Phantom II
Source: VanderWolf-Images / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1960
Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,473 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
Production run: 5,195
40. Mirage III
Source: edurivero / Getty Images
Year introduced: 1961
Type: Interceptor aircraft / Strike fighter
Maximum speed: 1,312 mph
Country of origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
Production run: 1,422
39. Sukhoi Su-17 / Su-20 / Su-22 (Fitter)
Source: ajw1970 / Flickr
Year introduced: 1970
Type: Strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 718 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Sukhoi
Production run: 2,867
38. MiG-23 (Flogger)
Source: ronmacphotos / Flickr
Year introduced: 1970
Type: Swing-wing figher-interceptor aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Mikoyan-Gurevich
Production run: 5,047
37. Mirage F1
Source: Maltaguy1 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1978
Type: Lightweight multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,317 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin
Production run: 4,604
32. Mirage 2000 (M2000)
Source: seafire_ / Flickr
Year introduced: 1979
Type: Strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,453 mph
Country of origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
Production run: 611
31. Panavia Tornado IDS
Source: Public Domain via my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
Year introduced: 1979
Type: Low-level strike aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH / British Aviation Systems
Production run: 400
30. Mig-31 (Foxhound)
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1979
Type: Supersonic interceptor aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,864 mph
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Mikoyan OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
Production run: 500
29. Shenyang J-8 / J-8 II (Finback)
Source: allenthepostman / Flickr
Year introduced: 1980
Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,453 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Aviation Industry Corporation of China
Production run: 325
28. F/A-18 Hornet
Source: JohnnyPowell / E+ via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1983
Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,190 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing / Northrop
Production run: 1,480
27. MiG-29 (Fulcrum)
Source: Artem Katranzhi / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1984
Type: Lightweight multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,519 mph
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Mikoyan OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
Production run: 1,625
26. AV-8B Harrier II
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) strike aircraft
Maximum speed: 665 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing / BAE Systems
Production run: 500
25. Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker)
Source: Jozsef Soos / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1985
Type: Multi-role air superiority fighter
Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
Production run: 809
24. F-15E Strike Eagle
Source: tomasdelcoro via Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1988
Type: Strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,653 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
Production run: 420
23. Panavia Tornado ECR
Source: ajw1970 / Flickr
Year introduced: 1990
Type: Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) Aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
Country of origin: Germany
Manufacturer: Panavia Aircraft GmbH / British Aviation Systems / MBB
Production run: 52
22. KAI KF-16 Fighting Falcon
Source: Public Domain / Defense Visual Information Distribution Service
Year introduced: 1991
Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 870 mph
Country of origin: South Korea
Manufacturer: Korean Aerospace Industries
Production run: 140
21. Xian JH-7 (Flounder) / FBC-1 (Flying Leopard)
Source: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1992
Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,118 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Xian Aircraft Industry Corporation
Production run: 240
20. F-CK-1 (Ching-Kuo)
Source: O8447 / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1994
Type: Lightweight multirole fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,379 mph
Country of origin: Taiwan
Manufacturer: Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation
Production run: 131
19. Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D)
Source: Dmitry Terekhov / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1994
Type: Carrier-based air defense fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
Country of origin: Russia
Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB
Production run: 35
18. Sukhoi Su-30 (Flanker-C)
Source: scaliger / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1996
Type: Twin-engine air superiority strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,317 mph
Country of origin: Russia
Manufacturer: Sukhoi Design Bureau
Production run: 635
17. JAS 39 Gripen (Griffin)
Source: dynasoar / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Year introduced: 1997
Type: Lightweight multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,370 mph
Country of origin: Sweden
Manufacturer: Saab AB
Production run: 247
16. Shenyang J-11 (Flanker B+)
Source: Mil.ru / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1998
Type: Multi-role air superiority fighter
Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Production run: 255
15. F/A-18 Super Hornet
Source: U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray Jr. /Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 1999
Type: Carrier-based strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,187 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
Production run: 615
14. Mitsubishi F-2
Source: Hohum / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2000
Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
Country of origin: Japan
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi / Lockheed Martin
Production run: 98
13. Dassault Rafale
Source: Andrew_Harker / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 2001
Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,383 mph
Country of origin: France
Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation
Production run: 201
12. Eurofighter Typhoon (EF2000)
Source: lynothehammer / Flickr
Year introduced: 2003
Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,550 mph
Country of origin: Germany
Manufacturer: BAE Systems / Eurofighter GmbH
Production run: 570
11. Chengdu J-10 (Vicious Dragon)
Source: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2005
Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,452 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAIC) / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Production run: 350
10. F-22 Raptor
Source: tomasdelcoro / Flickr
Year introduced: 2005
Type: Air dominance fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,599 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: Boeing / Lockheed Martin
Production run: 195
9. PAC JF-17 Thunder
Source: Public Domain via my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
Year introduced: 2007
Type: Lightweight multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,218 mph
Country of origin: Pakistan
Manufacturer: Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
Production run: 132
8. Shenyang J-15 (Flying Shark)
Source: 日本防衛省・統合幕僚監部 / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2013
Type: Carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,305 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Production run: 25
7. Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E / Super Flanker)
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
Year introduced: 2014
Type: Multi-role heavy combat fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
Country of origin: Russia
Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB
Production run: 130
6. HAL Tejas LCA
Source: ashwinkumar / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr
Year introduced: 2015
Type: Lightweight multirole fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,227 mph
Country of origin: India
Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Production run: 33
5. F-35 Lightning II
Source: Israeli Air Force / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2016
Type: Advanced multi-role strike fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,199 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman / BAE Systems
Production run: 785
4. F-16V (Viper)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2017
Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 917 mph
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin / Hellenic Aerospace Industry
Production run: 100
3. Chengdu J-20 (Black Eagle)
Source: N509FZ / Wikimedia Commons
Year introduced: 2017
Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,305 mph
Country of origin: China
Manufacturer: Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAIC) / Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Production run: 55
2. Sukhoi Su-57 (Felon)
Source: Dmitry Potashkin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 2019
Type: Multi-role stealth aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,616 mph
Country of origin: Russia
Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB / United Aircraft Corporation
Production run: 25
1. MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F)
Source: Artyom_Anikeev / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Year introduced: 2020
Type: Multi-role fighter aircraft
Maximum speed: 1,491 mph
Country of origin: Russia
Manufacturer: Russian Aircraft Corporation MIG
Production run: 10
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