10. F-4 Phantom 2 – 2,585 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1958
Type/Role Interceptor fighter, Fighter-bomber
This tandem two-seat, twin-engined supersonic aircraft developed by Mcdonnell Aircraft set the absolute world speed record of 2,585 km/h during Operation Skyburner. The record was set on the 5th of December 1961. Currently, around 630 F-4 Phantom 2s are in service around the world.
No 9. F-111 – 2,655 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Fighter-bomber
Developed in the 1960s, the F-111 served the purposes of a strategic bomber, reconnaissance and electronic warfare before it was retired in 1998. Currently, Australia is the only country operating F-111.
No 8. Ye-152A “Flipper” – 2,681 km/h
Country USSR
First flight 1959
Type/Role Interceptor
The Ye-152A was twin-engined interceptor built on the MiG-21. Supposedly, its prototype set the speed record of 2,681 km/h as only one Ye-152A was ever built.
No 7. MiG-31 – 3,000 km/h
Country USSR
First flight 1975
Type/Role Interceptor
Built to replace the MiG-25, MiG-31 is a supersonic aircraft serving the purposes of an interceptor. Its design is based on MiG-25. Technically, it could reach speeds in excess of Mach 3 but that would result in the destruction of its engines
No 6. XB-70 – 3,309 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Strategic bomber, Supersonic research
First flight 1964
Type/Role Strategic bomber, Supersonic research
The XB-70 Valkyrie was a prototype on which B-70 bomber was to be built. Only two of the type were built; one was destroyed and the other one is on display in Ohio. XB-70 was able to fly at 21,000 meters with a speed 3 times greater than the speed of sound.
No 5. Lockheed YF-12a – 3,332 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1963
Type/Role Interceptor
First flight 1963
Type/Role Interceptor
The YF-12a was a prototype for the Lockheed A-12. 3 variants of the aircraft were built conforming to the only 3 units ever built.
No 4. X-2 – 3,370 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1955
Type/Role Research aircraft
First flight 1955
Type/Role Research aircraft
The Bell X-2 Starbuster was built to research the effects of speeds above Mach 2 on the speeding vessel. 2 units were built and both were destroyed during tests. The X-2 faced the problem of “inertia coupling”, the very problem faced by the earlier X-1A, another research aircraft.
No 3. Lockheed SR-71 – 3,530 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1964
Type/Role Strategic Reconnaissance
The SR-71 Blackbird was developed from the Lockheed A-12 and only 32 of the type were built. In event of a missile launch against the aircraft from ground, the blackbird would simply accelerate to evade. It set an absolute speed record of 3,520 km/h on 28 July, 1976.
No 2. X-15 – 7,274 km/h
Country USA
First flight 1959
Type/Role Experimental rocket-powered research aircraft
Only 3 X-15s were built which reached the outer edge of space and brought back invaluable scientific data. The second unit, X-15A-2 set a speed record of 7,274 km/h on 28 June, 1964.
No 1. X-43 – 12,144 km/h
Country USA
First flight 2001
Type/Role Unmanned experimental aircraft
First flight 2001
Type/Role Unmanned experimental aircraft
With one X-43 already destroyed, the remaining two set records for the fastest free flying air-breathing aircraft in the world. The X-43 scramjet set a speed record of 12,144 km/h on November 16, 2004 during its third flight. The speed achieved by this jet aircraft, approximately Mach 10, is only second to the space shuttle’s.
