The point of stealth technology is to make a plane invisible to radar. Stealth is achieved by using a combination of aircraft shape, the material used to make it, the aircraft’s emissions, and other technologies to reduce radar contact. Presently, only three countries worldwide produce fifth-generation aircraft with stealth technology. Russia, China, and the United States sit at the top as global military superpowers. While other countries might own some stealth aircraft, they are purchased from one of these three, and the market for these new aircraft is hot, considering geopolitical tensions around the world are high.
This stealth technology was first invented around the 1970s. As it continues to evolve, more aircraft on the global stage are gaining stealth capabilities, but only a few currently employ these stealth features. Some of the most prolific stealth aircraft come from the United States, with the most widely used being the F-35 Lightning II. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have produced and sold hundreds of these stealth fighter jets to U.S. allies, mainly to countries in NATO.
To identify the most widely used stealth planes on Earth, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. Stealth aircraft, including uncrewed aerial vehicles, were ranked by the number of units in service in the 163 countries with data on FlightGlobal. UAV figures came from the Military Factory. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft and notable countries that use it also came from FlightGlobal. Data on top speed came from the Military Factory.
Why Is This Important?
Maintaining and advancing military technology is important to prevent attacks and maintain the advantage during battle. Technology improves efficiency, communication, and safety and plays an important role in almost every aspect of life today.
Here is a look at the most popular stealth aircraft on Earth.
14. B-21 Raider
- Number of aircraft in service: 0 (100 on order)
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 621 mph
- Type: Stealth bomber
13. Sukhoi Checkmate (Su-75)
- Number of aircraft in service: 1 (tied)
- Countries in use: Russia
- Top speed: 808 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
12. Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie
- Number of aircraft in service: 1 (tied)
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 652 mph
- Type: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
11. Northrop Grumman RQ-180
- Number of aircraft in service: 1 (tied)
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 590 mph
- Type: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
10. Hongdu Gongji-11 (GJ-11)
- Number of aircraft in service: 12
- Countries in use: China
- Top speed: 621 mph
- Type: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
9. Sukhoi Felon (Su-57)
- Number of aircraft in service: 14
- Countries in use: Russia
- Top speed: 1,616 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
8. B-2 Spirit
- Number of aircraft in service: 17
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 628 mph
- Type: Stealth bomber
7. Chengdu Black Eagle (J-20)
- Number of aircraft in service: 19
- Countries in use: China
- Top speed: 1,305 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
6. Ryan AQM-91 Firefly
- Number of aircraft in service: 28
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 505 mph
- Type: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
5. Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel
- Number of aircraft in service: 50
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 590 mph
- Type: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
4. Shenyang Red Eagle (J-16)
- Number of aircraft in service: 105
- Countries in use: China
- Top speed: 1,522 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
3. F-22 Raptor
- Number of aircraft in service: 178
- Countries in use: United States
- Top speed: 1,599 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
2. Shenyang Flanker B+ (J-11)
- Number of aircraft in service: 255
- Countries in use: China
- Top speed: 1,553 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
1. F-35 Lightning II
- Number of aircraft in service: 869
- Countries in use: United States, Canada, Germany, Israel, Ital
- Top speed: 1,199 mph
- Type: Fighter jet
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