24/7 Wall St. Insights
- First used in 1966, the SR-71 Blackbird has a top speed of 2,274 mph, which is 406% faster than the futuristic Tupolev PAK DA (2032), which will fly at a maximum 559 mph.
- All three futuristic (unreleased) stealth planes on this list fly under 1,000 mph, showcasing how next-generation aviation technology focuses more on advanced stealth and maneuverability.
- While stealth aircraft of the past were used more for surveillance and reconnaissance, more recent stealth aircraft are typically used in combat scenarios.
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Throughout history, stealth aircraft have made significant differences in military capabilities and output. Today, stealth aircraft are becoming increasingly advanced and technological. The use of stealth aircraft also allows countries to show their air dominance and deter enemies from potential attacks. In fact, just recently, the United States deployed four F-22 Raptor stealth aircraft to Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. The move is believed to deter China from combat, violence, or attempts to grab power in this region. (Here are China’s 5 biggest military advantages.)
In the grand scheme of aircraft fleets, stealth aircraft are actually rather rare. There have only been a handful of planes developed explicitly as stealth aircraft, and there are even fewer manufacturers capable of building these aircraft. As such, these are highly sought after by militaries around the world, even if these are not the newest up-to-date stealth models. (This is everything you need to know about military stealth technology.)
To identify the oldest and newest stealth planes in world militaries or on order, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the report 2023 World Air Forces from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, as well as other sources. We ordered these stealth aircraft, including uncrewed aerial vehicles and aircraft on order, chronologically based on when the aircraft were first used. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft, top speed, manufacturer, and armament came from Military Factory. Data on notable countries that operate these aircraft came from FlightGlobal.
Take a look at the oldest and most cutting-edge aircraft still used to this day:
Why We’re Discussing Stealth Aircraft
Covert air operations began in World War I with militaries attempting to reduce the visibility or sound of their aircraft. Technology has made leaps and bounds since that time. Companies that manufacture stealth jets for the military, like Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), make billions in sales every year, and it’s worth understanding how these companies operate if you’re considering investing in them.
1. A-12 Archangel
- Top speed: 2,212 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 1963
- Used for: Surveillance and reconnaissance
- Weapons: None
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
2. SR-71 Blackbird
- Maximum speed: 2,274 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 1966
- Used for: Reconnaissance
- Weapons: None
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
3. AQM-91 Firefly
- Maximum speed: 505 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 1968
- Used for: Reconnaissance
- Weapons: None
- Manufacturer: Ryan Aeronautical and Teledyne-Ryan
4. F-117 Nighthawk
- Maximum speed: 646 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 1982
- Used for: Combat
- Weapons: Laser-guided bombs, drop bombs, Maverick missiles, Sidewinder missiles, HARM anti-radiation missiles
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
5. B-2 Spirit
- Maximum speed: 628 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 1997
- Used for: Strategic and stealthy attacks
- Weapons: Free-fall nuclear bombs, drop bombs, air-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, joint direct attack munitions
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
6. J-11 Flanker B+
- Maximum speed: 1,553 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 1998
- Used for: Air superiority and combat
- Weapons: 30mm GSh-30-1 internal cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs, cluster bombs, rocket pods
- Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China
7. F-22 Raptor
- Maximum speed: 1,599 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 2005
- Used for: Air dominance fighting
- Weapons: 20mm internal automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, joint direct attack munitions, air-launched cruise missiles, guided bombs
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin and Boeing
8. RQ-170 Sentinel
- Maximum speed: 590 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 2007
- Used for: Reconnaissance and surveillance
- Weapons: Unknown
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
9. J-16 Red Eagle
- Maximum speed: 1,522 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 2013
- Used for: Air-to-air combat
- Weapons: Anti-radiation missiles, rocket pods, anti-ship missiles, drop bombs, internal cannons, air missiles, laser-guided munitions
- Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China
10. RQ-180
- Maximum speed: 590 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 2015
- Used for: Surveillance
- Weapons: None
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
11. WZ-10 Cloud Shadow
- Maximum speed: 390 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 2016
- Used for: Reconnaissance and precision strikes
- Weapons: Air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided bombs, light cruise missiles
- Manufacturer: Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group
12. F-35 Lightning II
- Maximum speed: 1,199 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, United States
- Year first used: 2016
- Used for: Combat, bombing
- Weapons: Rockeye II cluster bombs, joint direct attack munitions, guided bombs, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, Sidewinder missiles
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin
13. J-20 Black Eagle
- Maximum speed: 1,305 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 2017
- Used for: Precision strikes, reconnaissance
- Weapons: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, anti-radiation missiles, internal cannons, laser-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs
- Manufacturer: Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and Aviation Industry Corporation of China
14. GJ-11 Gongji
- Maximum speed: 621 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 2019
- Used for: Combat
- Weapons: Drop bombs, air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs
- Manufacturer: State Factories
15. Su-57 Felon
- Maximum speed: 1,616 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: Russia
- Year first used: 2019
- Used for: Surveillance, combat
- Weapons: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, guided bombs, internal cannon
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB and the United Aircraft Corporation
16. XQ-58 Valkyrie
- Maximum speed: 652 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: 2020
- Used for: Combat
- Weapons: A variety of bombs
- Manufacturer: Kratos unmanned systems division
17. CH-7
- Maximum speed: 550 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: China
- Year first used: 2022
- Used for: Combat
- Weapons: Air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided bombs, drop bombs, anti-radiation missiles
- Manufacturer: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
18. Su-75 Checkmate
- Maximum speed: 808 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: Russia
- Year first used: Expected in 2026
- Used for: Export, combat
- Weapons: Conventional drop bombs, air-to-air missiles, internal cannons, laser-guided bombs, air-to-surface missiles
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB and Rostek State Corporation
19. B-21 Raider
- Maximum speed: 621 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: United States
- Year first used: Expected in 2028
- Used for: Bombing
- Weapons: Precision-guided drop bombs, nuclear ordnance, conventional drop bombs
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
20. Tupolev PAK DA
- Maximum speed: 559 mph
- Countries that use this aircraft: Russia
- Year first used: Expected in 2032
- Used for: Strategic bombing, combat
- Weapons: Conventional drop bombs, precision-guided bombs, air-launched cruise missiles
- Manufacturer: Tupolev and United Aircraft Corporation
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