The United States has a diverse fleet of fighter jets across the different branches of the armed forces. All aircraft on the flightline are vital to US Air Force (USAF) and Navy (USN) missions. The various fighter jets that serve today embody decades of technological innovation and design optimization refined from countless aircrews' combat experience.
Legacy aircraft like the F-15 and F-16 continue to prove that they can bring the fight to the enemy. Fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35 bring groundbreaking capabilities to the battlefield that redefine the meaning of modern air combat. In the Navy , the F-35 C provides carrier-based stealth and fifth-generation performance, while the EA-18G Growler delivers specialized electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.
1 Boeing F-15 Eagle First introduced in the 1970s The F-15 Eagle rocked the balance of power in the arms race on its debut. To this day, it remains a dominant and powerful air-superiority fighter. The F-15 has continuously evolved, with the newest F-15EX variant ensuring the platform's relevance in modern combat.
Top Speed: Mach 2.5 (1,900 mph / 3,050 km/h) Max Altitude: Over 60,000 ft (18,288 m) Max Range: 1,967 miles (3,166 km) Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney F100 engines, producing 29,000 lbs (13,154 kg) of thrust each Armament: Up to 23,000 lbs (10,433 kg) of ordnance, including AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles The US Air Force describes the F-15 as "a mainstay in maintaining air superiority.” It.