Fighter jets are the backbone of modern air warfare. These jets can conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground combat operations and are designed to be fast, agile, and heavily armed, capable of dominating the skies in any conflict.
Here is a list of the top ten best fighter jets in the world in 2023:
10. Saab Jas 39 Gripen
This is a fourth-generation fighter jet developed by Saab. First flown in 1988, this jet is extremely lightweight, and agile, and can perform a variety of missions such as air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
Its delta wings provide high maneuverability and supersonic flight without afterburner. It also has advanced avionics including a radar that can track multiple targets at the same time.
9. Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound
This supersonic aircraft was designed in the 1970s as a replacement for the Mig-25 Foxbat to intercept enemy planes at high altitudes.
It operates with the Zaslon SAM System for long-range coverage and is equipped with the Zaslon M radar which tracks targets with ranges over 124 miles and at altitudes of over 98,500 feet. It’s powered by a Tumasky R-33 engine with a top speed of Mach 2.83 and a range of over 1,500 miles.
8. The Eurofighter Typhoon
This is a twin-engine multirole fighter jet that first flew in 1994 and entered service in 2003. It was developed as a replacement for the Tornado and the F-4 Phantom.
It’s designed to be an extremely agile and maneuverable jet capable of performing a wide range of missions including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
7. Sukhoi Su-35
This single-seat twin-engine, super maneuverable multirole fighter aircraft is an advanced variant of the Su-27 Flanker. It first flew in 2008 and entered service with the Russian Air Force in 2014.
It is powered by Lyulka AL-41 F1S engines, have a maximum speed of Mach 2, and a range of about 2,237 miles.
6. Dessault Raffale
The Rafale is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter jet that entered service with the French Air Force in 2001.
It features advanced avionics including the AESA RBE2 radar and the SPECTRA electronic warfare suit. It had a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and a range of over 2,300 miles.
5. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
This twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft first flew in 1995 and has been in service since 1999. It is used by the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Kuwait Air Force.
It had a top speed of Mach 1.6 and a range of over 1,275 nautical miles.
4. Chengdu J-20
This is a fifth-generation stealth, twin-engine, single-seat fighter aircraft developed by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation.
It officially entered service in 2017, making it the first operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft in the world. It has a top speed of Mach 2.5 + and a combat range of 1,242 miles.
3. Sukhoi Su-57
This fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft was officially adopted by the Russian Air Force in 2019.
It is the first Russian aircraft with stealth technology, advanced avionics, and weapon systems. It can reach a speed of Mach 2.35 and a combat range of 2,174 miles.
2. F-35 Lightining II
The F-35 is a fifth-generation, stealth-capable, single-seat, single-engine, multirole fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin. It has three versions – the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C.
The F-35A is the Conventional Takeoff and Landing version, the F-35B is the Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing variant, and the F-35C is the carrier version of the Lightning II.
It entered service in 2015 and is powered by a Pratt and Whitney F135 engine. It can provide up to 40,000 pounds of thrust, reach speeds of 1,200 mph, and a range of 1,200 miles.
1. Boeing F-22 Raptor
The Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, stealth fighter aircraft that’s considered one of the world’s most advanced fighters.
It first entered service with the US Air Force in 2005. The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F119 engine and can reach a top speed of Mach 2 and can operate at altitudes above 60,000 feet.
It is armed with various missiles, cannons, and bombs and has advanced avionics sensors.