Supersonic aircraft has the ability to elude enemy radar detection while also being difficult to intercept. In 1947, the Bell X-1 became the first airplane to achieve supersonic flight. This rocket-powered research plane of the US military attained speeds approaching 1,000 mph. There have been over 200 different models of supersonic warplanes since. (These are the world’s fastest fighter jets.)
Many countries utilize supersonic flight in their military. Supersonic warplanes have been used as strategic bombers, strategic reconnaissance, fighter/attack jets, and research aircraft. Many more military supersonic airplanes are under development. The cheapest warplane on the list cost $10 million to produce, and the most expensive cost $750 million. (Here is the weapon the US military spends the most money on.)
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the aviation resource Jetify to determine the warplanes that can fly faster than the speed of sound. Also called Mach 1, the speed of sound is about 717 mph, but the exact speed changes depending on the temperature and pressure of the surrounding air. All jets listed fly at Mach 2 or faster, which is double the speed of sound. Costs listed are the US dollar amount at the time of production.
Why This Matters
Source: KuntalSaha / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Governments across the world invest heavily in their militaries in order to ensure their nation’s security. Defense spending creates job opportunities across a range of industries, and military wages are used to buy products that drive economic development in communities. Some of the supersonic warplanes on this list were developed by military contracts with multi-billion dollar companies such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, BAE Systems, and General Dynamics.
Scroll below to see the fastest supersonic military jet on Earth:
16. Sukhoi Su-57
Source: Sukhoi Design Bureau, 051, Sukhoi Su-57 (49580577488) by Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia / BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
The Sukhoi Su-57 costs $42 million to produce and is used by the Russian military. It can go as fast as 1,320 mph.
15. Eurofighter Typhoon
Source: lynothehammer / Flickr
The Eurofighter Typhoon costs $105 million to produce and is used by many different militaries. It can go as fast as 1,320 mph.
14. F-22 Raptor
Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
The F-22 Raptor costs $150 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 1,355 mph.
13. Dassault Mirage 2000
Source: Dassault Mirage 2000-5F '51 / 118-AS' 'Hard to be Humble' by VISIT YOUR LOCAL AIR MUSEUM (HawkeyeUK) / BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
The Dassault Mirage 2000 costs $31 million to produce and is used by the French military. It can go as fast as 1,400 mph.
12. Chengdu J-10
Source: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons
The Chengdu J-10 costs $28 million to produce and is used by the Chinese military. It can go as fast as 1,445 mph.
11. MiG-29 Fulcrum
Source: Milous / iStock via Getty Images
The MiG-29 Fulcrum costs $22 million to produce and is used by the Russian military. It can go as fast as 1,520 mph.
10. Su-27 Flanker
Source: SU-27 Flanker - RIAT 2018 - My 154th Explore shot :-) by Airwolfhound / BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)
The Su-27 Flanker costs $41 million to produce and is used by the Russian military. It can go as fast as 1,553 mph.
9. F-111 Aardvark
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The F-111 Aardvark costs $10 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 1,650 mph.
8. F-15 Eagle
Source: Cobatfor / Wikimedia Commons
The F-15 Eagle costs $30 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 1,650 mph.
7. MiG-31 Foxhound
Source: Vitaly Kuzmin / Wikimedia Commons
The MiG-31 Foxhound costs $33 million to produce and is used by the Russian military. It can go as fast as 1,864 mph.
6. XB-70 Valkyrie
The XB-70 Valkyrie costs $750 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 2,056 mph.
5. Bell X-2 Starbuster
Source: NACA-USAF Test pilot Lt. Col. Frank Kendall 'Pete' Everest in the Bell X-2 'Starbuster' by aeroman3 / CC0 1.0 (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
The Bell X-2 Starbuster is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 2,094 mph.
4. MiG-25 Foxbat
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
The MiG-25 Foxbat costs $60 million to produce and is used by the Russian military. It can go as fast as 2,190 mph.
3. Lockheed YF-12
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
The Lockheed YF-12 costs $18 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 2,275 mph mph.
2. SR-71 Blackbird
Source: jondpatton / E+ via Getty Images
The SR-71 Blackbird costs $31 million to produce and is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 2,500 mph+.
1. NASA/USAF X-15
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The NASA/USAF X-15 is used by the United States military. It can go as fast as 4,520 mph.
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