The Fastest Supersonic Military Jets on Earth

Special Report

Published: December 5, 2023 1:35 pm

Since the inception of the supersonic aircraft, there have been over 200 different models throughout the world but the first aircraft to achieve supersonic flight was the Bell X-1. This rocket-powered research plane of the US military attained speeds approaching 1,000 mph in 1947. This groundbreaking feat paved the way for supersonic flight to become a regular feature in military aviation.

Historically, supersonic flight has been utilized by both civilian and military personnel. The most well-known civilian-use craft was the Concorde, that had a cruising speed of 1350 knots, more than twice the speed of sound. This would reduce travel to less than half the flying time. However, non-military aircraft were banned from flying faster than the speed of sound as a result of the sonic boom noise concerns and other expenses.

The military is still able to benefit from these supersonic aircraft. The advantages of hyper-speed warplanes lie in their capacity to elude enemy radar detection and their evasiveness, rendering them difficult to intercept or neutralize. Aircraft have only improved since the BellX-1, and NASA made history in 2004 with the release of the fastest jet ever, the NASA X-43 which reached Mach 9.3. Yet this was not a manned craft, and the planes listed below are all manned.

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. In comparison, 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.)

The X-15, an experimental rocket-propelled aircraft, attained the zenith of speed, which soared to a peak speed of 4,520 mph (Mach 6.7) in 1967. This jet resulted from collaborative efforts between the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, albeit it never underwent mass production. Although NASA has devised swifter rockets and crafts tailored for space travel, the X-15 remains unparalleled as the fastest crewed fighter jet. (These are the world’s fastest fighter jets.)

While other warplanes still have impressive speeds, no other supersonic warplane has managed to approach the velocities of the rocket-powered X-15. The second swiftest fighter jet was the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a reconnaissance plane capable of surmounting speeds exceeding 2,500 mph (Mach 3.4). While this may pale in comparison to the X-15, the SR-71 retains its distinction as the fastest warplane ever manufactured and deployed in service. (This is the US Air Force’s oldest aircraft.)

Here are the Airforce’s fasting supersonic military jets on Earth