What is the world's best fighter plane?

Answer 1

This question is highly debated and in any conversation, or forum, it can boil down into a mindless argument that never ends. Most answers for individuals are based on their nationality. This answer will be un-biased.

Top Candidates:

F-22 Raptor- USA: This is usually accepted as the best fighter. This is due to the fact that is the only Stealth Fighter currently in service , Excellent Maneuverability, and its amazing technology. It poses 2D TVC giving it its amazing agility. Its air-to-air combat abilities are unmatched. NOTE: The F-22 Program was recently cancelled by President Barack Obama. 183 of these Generation 5 fighters are still in service in the United States.

F-35 Lightning II - USA: This Aircraft is more of a ground attack, multi-role fighter. It is the best Ground-Attack fighter. It beats the Eurofighter in that category because of its Stealth technology. In this group, it is the only one with V/STOL capabilities, meaning that it can take off vertically.

Eurofighter Typhoon - UK, Germany, Spain, Italy: The Eurofighter has great BVR and WVR capabilities. It has reduced RCS features but lacks true stealth. In this group, it is the 2nd best ground-attacker.

Dassault Rafale - France: This is usually viewed as a cheaper, less capable option to the Eurofighter. Never the less, it is still a highly capable aircraft. It has reduced RCS features and it's 2 seats give it greater awareness in a dogfight and reduces pilot fatigue. It is the aircraft originally designed as a carrier-based aircraft.

Su-35BM - Russia: The 30 year old Su-27 airframe is still going strong with its great maneuverability, durability ,and adaptability. It also has great BVR capability but not on par with western designs like the F-22, Eurofighter, and Rafale. It has the largest RCS in this category making it highly visible to radars.

PAK-FA - Russia: This aircraft (when it comes in service in 2011/12) will be the 2nd best fighter after the F-22. It will incorporate technology from the Su-47 and the MiG-1.42. It will be stealthy. Little information is known about it and is still just a design on a paper. And by then all the other aircraft will have had extensive upgrades. It will definitely be more agile than the F-22 due to its 3-D TVC.

J-13/14 - China: It could challenge the the F-22 and PAK-FA. It will be a stealth aircraft. It might incorporate much features and technology from the PAK-FA including 3-D TVC; however at this time (2011), this is solely a prototype, and is years (probably a full decade) away from production.

Other candidates: Japan have been researching new stealth aircraft. But they are unlikely to go in service. They will probably just buy the F-35 or if the USA lets them, the F-22. UPDATE: Japan is reported to have ordered F-35.

Answer 2

The fastest one is Russian MIG-25 (speed: 3,645 km/h, 2,385 mph).

The MiG-25 is the fastest interceptor that was actually put in service, but the max air speed was limited to Mach 2.83, or around 1,865 mph at altitude. This plane was caught on radar at Mach 3.2 one time but both of the planes engines were destroyed from the heat. The YF-12A variant of the SR-71 Blackbird airframe was the fastest interceptor type of aircraft built, although it was not put into production.

the fastest air craft is the Lockheed SR-72 martin its lockheed martins new plane the SR-71 is the 3rd fastest plane the Lockheed SR-91 Aurora is the 2nd fastest plane in the world

Answer 3

There have been many great fighter planes. One of the greatest and most recent planes, the F-22 is said to one of the best.

"It's the fighter aircraft fighter pilots have been dreaming about. There were so few compromises made for the aircraft's performance that it excels in virtually every arena. It's an absolute thoroughbred for raw power and speed." Says F-22 squadron commander Mike Shower

Answer 4

The F4 Phantom II. America's last "Ace" flown aircraft of the 20th century. If a new jet hasn't been blooded in battle (not a live fire exercise...a real battle against a determined enemy), then it's not the best...just supposed to be the best. The Phantom was blooded in battle!