Speed. You either get an incredible rush and feeling of exhilaration or you are terrified of it. They say that speed kill. If you can’t control whatever vehicle you are in then the speed can be dangerous and even deadly. But if you can harness the power of your speed then you have a distinct advantage over your competition. When thinking of speed you might be thinking of cars, motorcycles or boats but what about something even faster? When you take a look at this list of the fastest military aircraft ever created your mind will certainly be blown away. Especially when you get to number 2 on this list. Strap yourself in and hold on tight because you are about to see some of the most spectacular and fastest aircraft to ever take to the skies.
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanke
The Sikhoi Su-27 Flanker is a Russian aircraft manufactured by the Sukhoi company. This speedster has been used by the Russian Air Force as well as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and the Ukrainian Air Force. Each Su-27 Flanker costs approximately $30 million to produce. For that kind of money it better be fast. When flying at altitude the maximum speed of the Su-27 Flanker is Mach 2.35 which comes out to about 1,550 mph. If you happen to have a rare opportunity to climb into the cockpit of one of these planes make sure you are prepared for what you are about to experience in terms of extreme speed.
Lockheed YF-12
Lockheed is well known in the aviation industry. When you take a look at the YF-12 you have no problem trying to understand where Lockheed gets its reputation. This plane looks like it could fit into any action movie for good reason. The Lockheed YF-12 has a top speed of 2,275 mph which when you think about it is crazy. Imagine flying along at almost 2,300 miles per hour. You better make sure you have a barf bag in case things get harry up there. The Lockheed YF-12 is also known by the name ‘Blackbird’ and was created as a fighter-interceptor version of the A-12. There are not many people brave enough to take a trip in an aircraft like this.
XB-70 Valkyrie
The North American XB-70 Valkyrie looks quite impressive and certainly has a cool name but it comes in at about 700 mph slower than the Lockheed Blackbird. Slower in this case is a relative term because the XB-70 Valkyrie has a top speed of 2,056 mph which might be slow to a fighter pilot but to your average everyday commuter or family taking a vacation the Valkyrie could deliver you to your destination in the blink of an eye. Another interesting fact about the Valkyrie is that it was the prototype that that B-70 nuclear armed, deep-penetration strategic bomber. Oh and did we mention the price tag. The XB-70 Valkyrie costs $750 million per unit to produce. This is not a small plane either. Check out its size compared to all of the people gathered around for a glimpse. Big, fast and expensive. Just like we like it.
F-111 Aardvark
Next on the list is the F-111 Aardvark from General Dynamics. This super-fast aircraft is in the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron and carries a load of Mark 82 high-drag bombs. While in service this plane had it all, speed, power and payload to destroy enemy targets. At it’s top speed the F-111 Aardvark could fly at Mach 3 or 1,650 mph. It’s certainly not the fastest on this list of we imagine its fast enough to get most jobs done.
Mikoyan MIG-31 Foxhound
Anyone who has seen the movie Top Gun or pretty much any other movie where the U.S. Air Force goes to battle has probably had a look at the Mikoyan MIG-31 Foxhound. There’s a good reason for that too. It’s because this plane is bad to the bone. It looks cool, it’s tough and it has speed and maneuverability and can reach top speeds of 1,864 mph. All of those components make the MIG-31 Foxhound perfect for battle and even better for movies.
Bell X-2 Rocket Plane
If you ever come across a plane with the name ‘rocket’ in it you know it’s going to be pretty fast right? Well the Bell X-2 Rocket Plane is just that. Fast! Created by Bell Aircraft the X-2 Rocket Plane had a short lifespan. This rocket plane took its first flight in 1955 and was retired in 1956. The X-2 is nicknamed the ‘Starbuster’ and topped out at a speed of just over 2,000 mph or Mach 3.196. Not only does the Bell X-2 Rocket Plane look incredibly cool it’s also pretty darn fast!
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle first took to the sky in 1972 and has been used by the United States Air Force as well as the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Saudi Air Force and the Israeli Air Force all for good reason. This twin engine tactical fighter can be used in all weather conditions and its extremely fast. It was created to fill a need for a dedicated air superiority fighter plane. The F-15 Eagle tops out at Mach 2.5 or 1,650 mph. Aside from its maneuverability and speed the F-15 Eagle can travel long distances thanks to the conformal fuel tanks and the three external fuel tanks.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-25 Foxbat
Last on our list of the fastest military aircraft ever created is the Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-25 Foxbat. This is the coolest name on the list for sure. The MIG-25 Foxbat boasts a turbojet engine which can propel the supersonic plane to Mach 3.2 or 2,170 mph. The MIG-25 Foxbat is now out of production but in its heyday the Foxbat was utilized by the Russian Air force, Algerian Air force, the Syrian Air Force and the Ukrainian Airforce.
Source: IBNLIVE
