5 Fastest Fighter Jets in the World
You may wonder what the fastest fighter jet in the world is. We may have some ultra-swift models on this list of the five quickest warbirds in the world that will surprise you.
The Russians head up this group, which may make Americans wonder if they can keep up.
Some of these airplanes are incredibly old, yet they are still flying in certain air forces worldwide.
Let’s give you what you have waited for: the top five fastest fighter jets in 2025.
The MiG-25 Foxbat
The top of the list is a model that is long in the tooth but very fast. Look no further than the archaic MiG-25 Foxbat that clocks in at a top speed of MACH 3.2. That is a blistering 2,200 miles per hour.
The other systems on this fighter are outdated, but a few air forces still fly it. It has been around for 60 years. I should note that the MACH 3.2 speed is at the tippy top of the scale. The MiG-25 usually went only MACH 2.83 to keep its engines cool at high velocities.
Syria, Algeria, Iraq, Libya, and India still fly the Foxbat. These pilots were probably thrilled they were assigned to the MiG-25. The Soviets were not always happy with MiG-25 pilots. Once in 1976, a Russian aviator took his Foxbat and defected to Japan.
The Japanese and later American intelligence analysts and technicians likely had a field day perusing the powerplant of the Foxbat that could push out that kind of speed.
The MiG-31 Foxhound
The Russians were not done with high speed flight. The next fast flying customer on the list is the MiG-31 Foxhound. The MiG-31 is another older airplane that does not take to the skies as much as it once did, but the Foxhound can hit a top speed of MACH 2.83.
The MiG-31 was an improvement over the MiG-25. Alternatively, the Foxbat could not fly as well at low altitudes, but the Foxhound had no limitations when flying low.
The MiG-31 could outfly other fighters of its time, but it is easy to track on radar and that is what limited it in dogfighting.
The MiG-31 is still flown by the Russians and the Kazakhstan Air Force considered it as the top fighter in its fleet but retired it in 2023 because it was so expensive to maintain and keep in the air. Russian pilots still feel lucky to fly so fast and the airplane has excellent thrust and rate of climb.
F-15 Family of Fighters
Worried that the Americans are not on this list yet? Let your heart not be troubled. The U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle are still swift warbirds. The F-15 family of jets can reach a top speed of MACH 2.5.
The Eagles have been flying for 50 years. The F-15 doesn’t weigh as much as competing airplanes and this makes it highly nimble and agile. The high wing area allows it to accelerate through turns and other maneuvers. This makes it an excellent dogfighter. The F-15 has 100 aerial victories since its inception.
Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia still fly the F-15. The U.S. Air Force is excited about the new F-15EX, which like the base model F-15 is not as stealthy as the F-22 and F-35, but it can still boogie.
The F-15EX can hit MACH 2.5 or 1,900 miles per hour. The F-15EX has a combat range of 687 nautical miles. It can endure 9+ Gs and its rate of climb is 50,000 feet a minute.
The Su-27 Flanker
Next up is the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. The Su-27 can achieve MACH 2.35 – a shade over 1,800 miles per hour. The Flanker is known for its range and maneuverability. It can climb as well as the F-15EX. The Russians still build the Su-27.
The Su-27 has fought for both sides during the war in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky’s air force has used it for almost three decades.
The Russians believed that the Su-27 could challenge the F-15 and designed it to be an air superiority fighter.
The Flanker is thus a versatile all-around jet with that blistering speed. The warbird is pilot-friendly, and it has been updated mightily over the years.
The MiG-23 Flogger
Rounding out our Top Five list is the MiG-23 Flogger. The MiG-23 is known for its variable-sweep wing design. The Flogger also travels at MACH 2.35 like the Su-27. Russia has built over 5,000 of the airplanes over the years. It is an amazing 60 years old.
The bird is highly-popular on the export market and the air forces of Angola, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe have flown or are still flying it.
Of course, this old warhorse is a third-generation airplane and it is long in the tooth. First flight was in 1967. But the thing is still a hot rod and pilots are enthralled with its variable-sweep wings that promote highly agile maneuvers. It was ahead of its time when built with the ability to fire some of the early beyond visual range missiles.
Some Amazing Fighters
Well, there you have it. You have probably noticed the Russians and Soviets have a corner on high-speed flight for its fighters, but the Americans also have the F-22 that can hit over MACH 2.25.
Don’t forget the Raptor because it is the only stealth jet that comes close to the other five. Let’s see if the Russians will incorporate that high speed capability into its new 6th generation MiG-41 PAK DP that may reach MACH 4, if the Russians can be believed.
We’ll watch to see if the new generation of fighters emphasize speed over other attributes.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
