24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Fifth-generation fighters are the most advanced aircraft to date, but these may soon be replaced by an upcoming sixth-generation.
- Sixth-generation aircraft are expected to be operational in the 2030s, with major improvements in stealth and speed.
- Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA”.
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II represent some of the most cutting-edge military aircraft today. As fifth-generation fighters, they feature advanced features like stealth technology, network-centric warfare, supercruise, and internal weapons bays. But the future of aerial combat may lie in an even more advanced class: sixth-generation fighters. These aircraft are expected to be operational in the 2030s, and countries worldwide are rushing to develop their own models.
Recently in May 2024, the U.S. Air Force announced their plans for their own project, which will include a $2.3 billion budget in addition to $595 for engine development. (These are the newest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force.)
Among many improvements to the fifth-generation fighter jets, the future sixth-generation models are expected to showcase advancements in stealth, long-range weaponry, mobility, and speed. Although speed isn’t the only factor in aerial warfare, it is an impressive feat. Many of these fighter jets can reach extraordinary speeds, with some exceeding 1,500 miles per hour. (These are the 42 most popular fighter jets used in today’s air forces.)
To identify upcoming combat aircraft from the world’s militaries, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of aircraft from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We focused exclusively on fixed-wing combat aircraft, excluding drones, helicopters, and non-combat aircraft. The resulting list, organized by the top speed of each aircraft, also provides information regarding the type of aircraft, country of origin, manufacturer, and armament.
Why We’re Covering This
The worldwide development of combat aircraft is a great example of the cutting-edge technology shaping today’s modern warfare. These next-generation vehicles reflect a country’s investments in defense and strategic plans for the future. Understanding these features helps us to gain valuable insights into government spending priorities and potential shifts in global power dynamics.
Here’s a look at the upcoming combat aircraft of the world’s militaries, from slowest to fastest:
20. Bronco II
- Type: Light attack / close-air support aircraft
- Country: United States
- Manufacturer: Bronco Combat Systems / Vertex Aerospace
- Top speed: 311 mph
- Armament: Gun pods, cannon pods, rocket pods, laser-guided bombs, conventional bombs, anti-tank guided missiles, and air-to-air missiles.
19. Wasp
- Type: Close-air support attack aircraft
- Country: Canada
- Manufacturer: Icarus Aerospace
- Top speed: 414 mph
- Armament: A 20mm/30mm automatic cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, gun pods, cannon pods, rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, and precision-guided bombs.
18. HJT-36 Sitara (Star)
- Type: Light attack aircraft
- Country: India
- Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
- Top speed: 528 mph
- Armament: A 12.7mm heavy machine gun pod, 57mm rocket pods, and conventional drop bombs.
17. Tupolev PAK DA
- Type: Fifth-generation strategic stealth bomber
- Country: Russia
- Manufacturer: Tupolev / United Aircraft Corporation
- Top speed: 559 mph
- Armament: Cruise missiles, nuclear ordnance, precision-guided bombs, and conventional drop bombs.
16. F/A-259 Striker
- Type: Light attack aircraft
- Country: Czech Republic
- Manufacturer: Aero Vodochody
- Top speed: 587 mph
- Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods, cannon pods, and gun pods.
15. H-20
- Type: Subsonic strategic stealth bomber
- Country: China
- Manufacturer: Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation
- Top speed: 600 mph
- Armament: Undisclosed; assumed to include support for dumb bombs, precision-guided bombs, air-to-surface missiles, and nuclear weapons.
14. Yasin
- Type: Light attack aircraft
- Country: Iran
- Manufacturer: Iran Aircraft Industry Company / Iran Aviation Industries Organization
- Top speed: 621 mph
- Armament: Gun pods, rocket pods, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided bombs, and conventional drop bombs.
13. B-21 Raider
- Type: Sixth-generation long-range strategic bomber
- Country: United States
- Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman
- Top speed: 621 mph
- Armament: Conventional drop bombs, precision-guided bombs, and nuclear ordnance.
12. Checkmate (Su-75)
- Type: Fifth-generation attack aircraft
- Country: Russia
- Manufacturer: Sukhoi OKB / Rostek State Corporation
- Top speed: 808 mph
- Armament: Undisclosed; assumed to have support for Russian air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and precision-guided bombs.
11. Dassault FCAS
- Type: Sixth-generation fighter aircraft
- Country: France
- Manufacturer: Dassault / Airbus
- Top speed: 1,243 mph
- Armament: Undisclosed.
10. F-21 (Fighting Falcon)
- Type: Multirole 4.5 generation fighter aircraft
- Country: United States
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
- Top speed: 1,317 mph
- Armament: A 20mm M61A1 Vulcan gatling-style internal cannon, rocket pods; support for Indian Air Force munitions including air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship missiles.
9. J-35
- Type: Fifth-generation carrierborne fighter
- Country: China
- Manufacturer: Aviation Industry Corporation
- Top speed: 1,367 mph
- Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs, anti-ship missiles, and anti-radiation missiles.
8. J-31 Gyrfalcon (FC-31 / F-60)
- Type: Multirole fourth-generation fighter aircraft
- Country: China
- Manufacturer: Shenyang Aircraft Corporation / Aviation Industry Corporation
- Top speed: 1,367 mph
- Armament: Undisclosed; assumed to have support for an internal cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and conventional drop bombs.
7. HAL AMCA
- Type: Fifth-generation fighter aircraft
- Country: India
- Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
- Top speed: 1,370 mph
- Armament: A 20mm internal automatic cannon, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-surface missiles.
6. Tejas AF
- Type: Multirole combat aircraft
- Country: India
- Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
- Top speed: 1,429 mph
- Armament: A 23mm GSh-23 internal cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, rocket pods, anti-radiation missiles, anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs, and conventional drop bombs.
5. Mitsubishi F-X
- Type: Sixth-generation air superiority fighter aircraft
- Country: Japan
- Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
- Top speed: 1,460 mph
- Armament: A 20mm internal automatic cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs, and microwave-based weapons.
4. Kaan (TF-X / F-X)
- Type: Fifth-generation fighter aircraft
- Country: Turkey
- Manufacturer: Turkish Aerospace Industries
- Top speed: 1,491 mph
- Armament: A 20mm internal automatic cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs, and conventional drop bombs.
3. KF-21 Boromae (KF-X)
- Type: Multirole fifth-generation aircraft
- Country: South Korea
- Manufacturer: Korean Aerospace Industries
- Top speed: 1,553 mph
- Armament: A 20mm gatling-style internal automatic cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided drop bombs, and conventional drop bombs.
2. Tempest FCAS
- Type: Sixth-generation fighter aircraft
- Country: United Kingdom
- Manufacturer: BAe Systems
- Top speed: 1,553 mph
- Armament: Air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, precision-guided munitions, direct-energy weapons, hypersonic weapons, and swarm weapons,
1. MiG-41 (PAK DP)
- Type: High-altitude, long-range interceptor
- Country: Russia
- Manufacturer: Mikoyan OKB
- Top speed: 2,284 mph
- Armament: Long-range, high-speed air-to-air missiles.
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