Is the F-15 the fastest fighter aircraft in the world?

Answer 1

The F-15 Eagle is one of the worlds fastest operational fighter jet with a top speed of Mach 2.5.

However the Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 "Foxbat" interceptor is capable of Mach 3.2 if the pilot is willing to destroy his engines, and is normally restricted to Mach 2.8. Also it's successor the MiG-31 "Foxhound" is also capable of Mach 2.8.

Also the American Lockheed YF-12 interceptor, one of the predecessors of the SR-71 "Blackbird" was approved for acquisition by the USAF back in the 1960's, but due to government intervention the order for 100 planes was canceled. The YF-12 was reportedly capable of Mach 3.35.

A similar fate also occured to the Canadian Avro Arrow program which was scuttled in the late 1950's, the initial design brief was for a Mach 2 capable interceptor, years before any other similar aircraft existed, though there were other similar programs. One of the design studies suggested that with some modification to the design it would be Mach 3 capable.