Fighter Jets

Indonesia’s $9B Chinese Fighter Jet Deal Shocks the World

Indonesia’s abrupt pivot to Chinese fighters has captured global attention. Defense analysts say it underscores Jakarta’s insistence on strategic autonomy. “Foreign actors can spread disinformation, but at the end of the day, Indonesia buys what it chooses,” writes analyst Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat asiatimes.com. In practice, Jakarta is “quietly demonstrating that strategic autonomy is possible” – fielding the latest jets from East and West while balancing great-power pressures asiatimes.com. For now, Southeast Asian neighbors and global arms makers will be watching closely how this deal unfolds and how it reshapes the region’s airpower balance. Sources: Official statements and budget documents; reporting

18 October 2025

Mach 2+ Monsters: Ranking the World’s Fastest Fighter Jets (U.S., Russia, China & More)

MiG-25 “Foxbat”: Mach 2.83 (about 1,900 mph / 3,058 km/h), the fastest operational fighter; in 1976 a defector flew one to Japan and testing reached Mach 3.2, with only a handful remaining in service as recon aircraft. MiG-31 “Foxhound”: Mach 2.83 (≈1,900 mph / 3,058 km/h) long-range interceptor and one of the fastest jets still in active service with Russia. F-15 Eagle: Mach 2.5+ (about 1,650–1,875 mph), introduced in the 1970s, with the F-15EX reportedly clocking top speeds near Mach 3 in tests while the official operational limit remains about Mach 2.5. Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker” family: Mach 2.35 (≈1,550–1,600 mph)

23 August 2025

Aircraft Rankings · Aviation · Defense · Fighter Jets · Military Technology · NYSE:BA · NYSE:LMT · NYSE:NOC · NYSE:RTX

F-35 vs F-22 vs F-16: The Ultimate 2025 Fighter Jet Showdown

The F-35 has three variants—F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C—and can carry 2× 2000-lb bombs internally (or up to 18,000 lb externally) with a top speed of about Mach 1.6. As of 2025, the F-35A unit flyaway price is roughly $80–$90 million (B/C around $100 million), with production around 150 jets per year and over 1,000 aircraft delivered. The F-22 Raptor entered service in 2005, with only 195 aircraft built before production ended in 2011, making it a boutique USAF-only fighter. The F-22 can reach Mach 1.8 in supercruise and Mach 2.25+ in level flight, carries 6 AIM-120 AMRAAMs and 2 AIM-9

21 August 2025

Air Force · Aircraft Comparison · Defense · Fighter Jets · Military Technology · NYSE:BA · NYSE:LMT · NYSE:RTX

Blazing Beyond Mach 2: Inside the World’s Fastest Fighter Jets and the Hypersonic Race

SR-71 Blackbird set the official world speed record for air-breathing crewed aircraft at 2,193 mph (Mach 3.3) in 1976. In 1965, a Lockheed YF-12A interceptor achieved 2,070 mph (Mach 3.17), a world speed record for its time. In 1958, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter set a world speed record above Mach 2, proving fighters could double the speed of sound. The MiG-25 Foxbat achieved Mach 3.2 in a 1973 high-altitude dash, but operational limits were held at about Mach 2.8 to protect the engines. The MiG-31 Foxhound can reach about Mach 2.83 top speed at altitude and is described as the

30 July 2025

Aviation · Fighter Jets · Hypersonic · Military · NYSE:LMT · Technology

Mach 2 Marvels: The Epic Saga of Dassault’s Mirage Fighter Jets

In 1958, the Mirage III became the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in level flight. The Mirage IIIC entered French service by 1961. The Mirage F1 first flew in 1966 and could land about 60 knots slower than the Mirage III. The Mirage 2000 first flew in 1978 and introduced fly-by-wire control with the Snecma M53-P2 engine delivering 64 kN dry and 95 kN with afterburner. The Mirage 4000 first flew in 1979 as a twin-engine “Super Mirage” with canards and a potential load up to 8 tons, but only one prototype was built and it

25 July 2025

Aviation · Engineering · Fighter Jets · History · Military Technology

Ukraine’s Sky Guardians: From MiG-29s to F-16s – Every Fighter Jet Defending Ukraine’s Skies

The MiG-29 Fulcrum is described as agile, capable of speeds over Mach 2.25, with a roughly 700 km internal range, six external hardpoints, and a typical loadout of up to 4 R-73 and 2 R-27R missiles, plus the notable HARMs SEAD capability. The Su-27 Flanker serves as Ukraine’s heavyweight air superiority fighter with speeds over Mach 2.3, ferry range over 3,500 km, a combat radius around 1,500 km, 10 hardpoints, and has been observed carrying HARMs and conducting long-range strikes. The Su-24 Fencer is a swing-wing bomber capable of Mach 1.35–1.6, ferry range 2,700–3,000 km, combat radius ~600 km, eight

25 July 2025

Air Force · Defense · Fighter Jets · Military · Ukraine

2025 Fighter Jet Revolution: New Stealth Fighters, Global Deals, and Sky-High Showdowns

China publicly unveiled the Shenyang J-35 stealth fighter in 2025, with at least two J-35 prototypes seen at the SAC aircraft plant signaling low-rate production and a land-based J-35A variant. An upgraded J-15T naval fighter was revealed, featuring new indigenous engines, catapult launch capability for China’s carrier Fujian, an AESA radar, and compatibility with PL-10 and PL-15 missiles. The United States unveiled the F-47 NGAD in March 2025, Boeing winning the contract to build the world’s first crewed sixth-generation fighter, with a projected fleet of 220–250 NGADs and advanced AI copilots and modular design. Turkey’s TF-X Kaan completed its maiden

14 July 2025

Aircraft Comparison · Defense Technology · Fighter Jets · Global Security · Military Aviation · NYSE:BA · NYSE:LMT

Top 10 Fighter Jets Dominating the Skies in 2025

F-35 Lightning II, a 5th-gen stealth fighter, first flew in 2006, entered service in the mid-2010s, and by 2025 had over 1,000 delivered to 17 nations. F-22 Raptor, a 5th-gen air-superiority fighter, first flew in 1997 and entered service in 2005, with a top speed around Mach 2.25 and only 195 built. Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, a 5th-gen stealth fighter, first flew in 2011 and entered PLAAF service in 2017, with a ferry range near 3,000 nmi and production over 200 aircraft. Sukhoi Su-57 Felon, a 5th-gen fighter, first flew in 2010 and entered service in 2020, with thrust-vectoring AL-41F1S

15 June 2025

2025 · Aviation · Fighter Jets · Military · NYSE:BA · NYSE:GD · NYSE:LMT · Technology

Skyrocketing Fighter Jet Market 2025: Tech Triumphs and Global Rivalries Fuel a New Arms Race

By late 2024, the F-35 Lightning II had surpassed 1,000 deliveries worldwide, fueling Lockheed Martin’s market dominance and its ubiquity across more than a dozen nations. Lockheed Martin continues F-16 production into a 50th year with new Block 70/72 variants exported to Slovakia and Bahrain. Boeing is delivering the F-15EX Eagle II to the U.S. Air Force, while the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet line ends in 2025 and India’s export bid remains pending. Dassault secured a 42-aircraft Rafale F4 tranche in 2023 to be delivered from 2027, with Indonesia also ordering 42 Rafales. Saab has 96 firm Gripen E/F orders (60

13 June 2025

Defense Industry · Fighter Jets · Global Competition · Market Trends · Military Technology · NYSE:BA · NYSE:LMT