The ten fastest jet fighters and interceptors that entered service, ranked by maximum speed at altitude in Mach: the MiG-25 and MiG-31 tie at Mach 2.83, ahead of the F-15 Eagle at Mach 2.5.
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat and the Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound are the fastest jet fighters that entered service, tied at Mach 2.83. The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is third at Mach 2.5. The ranking uses maximum speed at altitude in Mach, from each aircraft's Wikipedia specifications, with the MiG-25's Mach 2.83 operational limit for the interceptor, as of October 2026.
Speed defined the interceptors of the Cold War, while modern fighters trade raw speed for stealth and agility. This list ranks the fastest jet fighters and interceptors that entered squadron service, whether still flying or retired, by the maximum speed at altitude given in each aircraft's published specifications. Reconnaissance aircraft such as the SR-71 Blackbird, prototypes that never entered service such as the YF-12 (Mach 3.35), and dedicated strike aircraft such as the F-111 (Mach 2.5) are not included. Three ties mean several aircraft share the same figure.
Built by the Soviet Union as a high-altitude interceptor, the MiG-25 was limited in service to Mach 2.83, because flying faster sent its engines into overspeed and wrecked them. One MiG-25 was tracked at Mach 3.2 over Sinai, and its engines had to be scrapped afterwards. It shares first place with the MiG-31.
A two-seat development of the MiG-25, the MiG-31 interceptor is rated at Mach 2.83 at 21,500 m, the same top speed as the Foxbat. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force.
The F-15C is rated at Mach 2.5 (1,650 mph) at altitude, making the Eagle the fastest fighter on this list from outside the Soviet Union. The newer F-15EX Eagle II carries the same Mach 2.5 rating.
A swing-wing successor to the MiG-21, the MiG-23MLD is rated at Mach 2.35 at altitude. It ties with the Su-27 and the Eurofighter Typhoon and is still in limited service.
Developed as the Soviet answer to the F-15, the Su-27SK is rated at Mach 2.35 (2,500 km/h) at altitude. It ties with the MiG-23 and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
The European multirole fighter is rated at 2,495 km/h at 11 km altitude, which the German armed forces give as Mach 2.35. It ties with the MiG-23 and Su-27.
The US Navy's swing-wing carrier fighter is rated at Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph) at 40,000 ft in its F-14D form. The US Navy retired it in 2006; Iran still operates it.
The US Air Force's main all-weather interceptor of the 1960s and 1970s, the F-106A is rated at Mach 2.3 at 40,000 ft. It was retired from the Air National Guard in 1988. It ties with the Kfir and MiG-29.
An Israeli development of the Dassault Mirage 5 powered by a General Electric J79, the Kfir C7 is rated at Mach 2.3 above 11,000 m. It ties with the F-106 and MiG-29.
Designed as a lighter partner to the Su-27, the MiG-29 is rated at Mach 2.3+ at high altitude; the 2.3 figure is used for ranking. It ties with the F-106 and Kfir.
| # | Name | country | year_introduced | number_built | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat | Soviet Union | 1970 | 1,186 | Retired (per Wikipedia) |
| 2 | Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound | Soviet Union / Russia | 1981 | 519 | In service (Russia) |
| 3 | McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle | United States | 1976 | 1,198 (F-15A/B/C/D/J/DJ) | In service |
| 4 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger | Soviet Union | 1970 | 5,047 | In limited service |
| 5 | Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker | Soviet Union / Russia | 1985 | 680 | In service |
| 6 | Eurofighter Typhoon | United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain | 2003 | 611 + 7 prototypes (June 2026) | In service |
| 7 | Grumman F-14 Tomcat | United States | 1974 | 712 | US Navy retired 2006; in service with Iran |
| 8 | Convair F-106 Delta Dart | United States | 1959 | 342 | Retired |
| 9 | IAI Kfir | Israel | 1976 | 220+ | In service (Colombia, Sri Lanka) |
| 10 | Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum | Soviet Union / Russia | 1983 | 1,600+ | In service |
Ranking metric: maximum speed at altitude in Mach, as given in the specifications section of each aircraft's Wikipedia article (accessed 18 October 2026), which names the variant measured. The one exception is the MiG-25: its specification box gives about Mach 3.1, taken from a manual for the MiG-25RB reconnaissance variant, so this list uses the Mach 2.83 operational limit the same article gives for the interceptor. Scope: jet fighters and interceptors that entered service, in service or retired; one entry per type, with variants and licence-built copies (F-15EX, Chinese J-11) folded into the parent type. Excluded: reconnaissance aircraft, prototypes, and dedicated strike aircraft. Ties share a Mach figure and are listed by year of introduction. Just below tenth place are the F-22 Raptor and Su-35 (Mach 2.25 each) and the F-4 Phantom II (Mach 2.23). The English Electric Lightning's often-quoted Mach 2.27 is not used, because Wikipedia flags its only source as unreliable; the figure it does source is Mach 2.0 with missiles.
The SR-71 was a strategic reconnaissance aircraft, not a fighter. Its normal limit was Mach 3.2, raised to Mach 3.3 when engine inlet temperatures allowed, so it would top the list if reconnaissance aircraft counted.
The MiG-31 Foxhound, rated at Mach 2.83 at 21,500 m and still in service with Russia. It shares the top figure with the MiG-25, which Wikipedia lists as retired. The fastest Western fighter in service is the F-15 Eagle, rated at Mach 2.5.
These are maximum speeds at high altitude for the variant given. External weapons and fuel tanks add drag; the F-15's figure, for example, falls to Mach 2.0 with conformal fuel tanks fitted.
The F-22 is rated at Mach 2.25, which places it just outside the top 10, tied with the Su-35. Three aircraft share the Mach 2.3 figure at the bottom of the list.
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