The Fastest U.S. Military Aircraft and the Mystery Jet That Could Beat Them All

Rumors surrounding Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 “Son of Blackbird” have been circulating for years. The prototype aircraft is said to be able to reach speeds over Mach 6. According to Interesting Engineering, when speculation first began, the Sr-72 was said to be called “Darkstar,” but today, most refer to the mysterious project as “Son of Blackbird.” Interestingly, Darkstar was the name of the super-fast jet in the movie, “Top Gun: Maverick.” (Also see the oldest and newest combat aircraft currently flown by the U.S. Military.)

If the SR-72 becomes reality, it will likely reach amazing speeds, be stealthy, and have the ability to complete versatile missions. The SR-72’s predecessor, the SR-71 Blackbird, was retired in 1990 due to budget constraints and the high cost of operation. Currently, the fastest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force can reach speeds of 1,875 miles per hour. To compare this to the SR-72, Mach 6 is equivalent to 4,604 miles per hour

To find the fastest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ranked our list by top speed, from slowest to fastest. We added data on the type of aircraft, armament, and more, excluding trainer aircraft.

(This article was updated on April 11, 2025, to reflect recent news on Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 aircraft.)

Why Are We Covering This Now?

It remains to be seen if the SR-72 will become a reality and fly for the U.S. Air Force. There is still much we don’t know about the mysterious aircraft. Understanding the aircraft in the US Air Force is important because these aircraft play a pivotal role in maintaining national security and global stability. Each aircraft is designed for specific missions, from air superiority to strategic bombing and reconnaissance, which are essential for defending the country and projecting power abroad. Also, knowing which aircraft are in service gives context to military capabilities and a better understanding of national defense.

Here is a look at the fastest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force:

46. UH-1N Twin Huey

• Type: Multi-role utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1970
• Active aircraft: 64
• Top speed: 150 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm GAU-16 machine gun, 7.62mm machine guns, 70mm rocket pods

45. Mi-171 Hip-H

• Type: Medium-lift transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1981
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: Shturm missiles, rocket pods, 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns

44. S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year introduced: 1979
• Active aircraft: 96
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, 12.7mm gatling guns, M134 gatling guns, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun

43. Leonardo AW139

• Type: Medium-lift utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 2003
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 193 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm general purpose machine guns

42. DHC-6 Twin Otter

• Type: Transport / light utility aircraft
• Year introduced: 1966
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 196 mph
• Armament: N/A

41. Cessna 208 Caravan

• Type: Turboprop utility aircraft
• Year introduced: 1984
• Active aircraft: 2
• Top speed: 214 mph
• Armament: N/A

40. C-146 Wolfhound

• Type: Special missions support
• Year introduced: 2000
• Active aircraft: 20
• Top speed: 217 mph
• Armament: N/A

39. AT-802U Sky Warden

• Type: Multirole light aircraft
• Year introduced: 1990
• Active aircraft: 75 on order
• Top speed: 221 mph
• Armament: Gun pods, cannon pods, conventional drop bombs

38. PA-31 Navajo

• Type: Utility aircraft
• Year introduced: 1967
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 261 mph
• Armament: N/A

37. CN-235

• Type: Medium-lift tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1988
• Active aircraft: 5
• Top speed: 282 mph
• Armament: N/A

36. AC-130W Stinger II

• Type: Special operations fixed-wing gunship
• Year introduced: 2010
• Active aircraft: 3
• Top speed: 300 mph
• Armament: 30mm Bushmaster II GAU-23/A gatling gun, Viper Strike missiles, Griffin missiles, Hellfire missiles

35. CV-22 Osprey

• Type: Tilt rotor VTOL aircraft
• Year introduced: 2007
• Active aircraft: 52
• Top speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns

34. Dash 8

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1984
• Active aircraft: 10
• Top speed: 317 mph
• Armament: N/A

33. U-28A Draco

• Type: Light utility aircraft
• Year introduced: 1994
• Active aircraft: 35
• Top speed: 329 mph
• Armament: N/A

32. Beech C-12 Huron

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1974
• Active aircraft: 62
• Top speed: 332 mph
• Armament: N/A

31. C295

• Type: Tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2001
• Active aircraft: 3
• Top speed: 358 mph
• Armament: N/A

30. AC-130J Ghostrider

• Type: Ground attack / close-air support
• Year introduced: 2017
• Active aircraft: 29
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: 30mm ATK GAU-23/A automatic cannon, 105mm M102 field howitzer, Griffin missiles, Viper Strike precision-guided bombs, Hellfire missiles, drop bombs

29. C-130J Super Hercules

• Type: Tactical medium transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1999
• Active aircraft: 330
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

28. EC-130J Commando Solo III

• Type: Electronic warfare aircraft
• Year introduced: 1975
• Active aircraft: 14
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

27. HC-130J Combat King II

• Type: Transport / in-flight refueler aircraft
• Year introduced: 1959
• Active aircraft: 40
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

26. MC-130J Commando II

• Type: Special operations transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2012
• Active aircraft: 57
• Top speed: 416 mph
• Armament: N/A

25. A-10C Thunderbolt II

• Type: Close-air support / forward air control
• Year introduced: 1976
• Active aircraft: 270
• Top speed: 439 mph
• Armament: 30mm GAU-8/A gatling gun, Maverick missiles, Sidewinder missiles, rocket pods, drop bombs, cluster bombs, Paveway bombs

24. U-2 Dragon Lady

• Type: High-altitude surveillance aircraft
• Year introduced: 1955
• Active aircraft: 26
• Top speed: 475 mph
• Armament: N/A

23. C-17 Globemaster III

• Type: Tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1995
• Active aircraft: 228
• Top speed: 518 mph
• Armament: N/A

22. C-5M Super Galaxy

• Type: Heavy-lift transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1995
• Active aircraft: 52
• Top speed: 518 mph
• Armament: N/A

21. KC-135 Stratotanker

• Type: Aerial tanker / in-flight refueler
• Year introduced: 1957
• Active aircraft: 377
• Top speed: 530 mph
• Armament: N/A

20. Learjet 35

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1973
• Active aircraft: 19
• Top speed: 530 mph
• Armament: N/A

19. E-3 Sentry

• Type: Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications aircraft
• Year introduced: 1977
• Active aircraft: 21
• Top speed: 531 mph
• Armament: N/A

18. KC-46 Pegasus

• Type: Aerial tanker / in-flight refueler
• Year introduced: 2019
• Active aircraft: 72
• Top speed: 569 mph
• Armament: N/A

17. Boeing RC-135

• Type: Multi-mission reconnaissance aircraft
• Year introduced: 1962
• Active aircraft: 22
• Top speed: 581 mph
• Armament: N/A

16. C-20 Gulfstream IV

• Type: Military VIP passenger transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1983
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 582 mph
• Armament: N/A

15. E-8 Joint STARS

• Type: Airborne battle management platform aircraft
• Year introduced: 1996
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 587 mph
• Armament: N/A

14. B-52H Stratofortress

• Type: Long range strategic heavy bomber
• Year introduced: 1955
• Active aircraft: 72
• Top speed: 595 mph
• Armament: ACLM cruise missiles, Harpoon missiles, CALCM cruise missiles, joint direct attack munitions, freefall nuclear bombs

13. KC-10 Extender

• Type: Tanker and cargo aircraft
• Year introduced: 1981
• Active aircraft: 20
• Top speed: 600 mph
• Armament: N/A

12. E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post

• Type: Airborne surveillance, command, control, and communications aircraft
• Year introduced: 1974
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 602 mph
• Armament: N/A

11. Boeing C-32

• Type: VIP Transport
• Year introduced: 1996
• Active aircraft: 4
• Top speed: 605 mph
• Armament: N/A

10. B-21 Raider

• Type: Long range strategic stealth bomber
• Year introduced: Expected 2028
• Active aircraft: 100 on order
• Top speed: 621 mph
• Armament: Conventional drop bombs, precision-guided bombs, nuclear-tipped bombs/missiles

9. B-2 Spirit

• Type: Strategic stealth heavy bomber
• Year introduced: 1997
• Active aircraft: 17
• Top speed: 628 mph
• Armament: Air-launched cruise missiles, strategic free-fall nuclear bombs, conventional drop bombs, joint direct attack munitions, JASSM missiles

8. EC-37B Compass Call

• Type: Electronic warfare aircraft
• Year introduced: 2023
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 652 mph
• Armament: N/A

7. Gulfstream G550

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2004
• Active aircraft: 1
• Top speed: 670 mph
• Armament: N/A

6. Bombardier Express E-11

• Type: Special missions platform
• Year introduced: 1997
• Active aircraft: 7
• Top speed: 684 mph
• Armament: N/A

5. B-1B Lancer

• Type: Strategic heavy bomber
• Year introduced: 1986
• Active aircraft: 42
• Top speed: 833 mph
• Armament: Joint direct attack munitions, general purpose bombs, naval mines, cluster munitions, SRAM missiles, JASSM missiles, JSOW missiles, freefall nuclear bombs

4. F-35A Lightning II

• Type: Multirole 5th generation aircraft
• Year introduced: 2016
• Active aircraft: 234
• Top speed: 1,199 mph
• Armament: 25mm GAU-12/U automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, Paveway guided bombs, Rockeye II bombs, Brimstone missiles, Storm Shadow missiles, drop bombs

3. F-16C Fighting Falcon

• Type: Multirole 4th generation fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1978
• Active aircraft: 738
• Top speed: 1,317 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61 automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Maverick missiles, Penguin missiles, Runway denial bombs, cluster bombs, laser-guided bombs, conventional drop bombs

2. F-22 Raptor

• Type: 5th generation air dominance fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 2005
• Active aircraft: 178
• Top speed: 1,599 mph
• Armament: 20mm automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, joint drop munitions, drop bombs, air-launched cruise missiles

1. F-15 C/E/EX Eagle II

• Type: Air superiority fighter aircraft
• Year introduced: 1976
• Active aircraft: 377
• Top speed: 1,875 mph
• Armament: 20mm M61A1 automatic cannon, Sidewinder missiles, Sparrow missiles, Maverick missiles, HARM missiles, laser-guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions, cluster bombs, nuclear bombs

The post The Fastest U.S. Military Aircraft and the Mystery Jet That Could Beat Them All appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..