15 Fastest Single-Engine Military Fighter Jets Still in Flight, Ranked

First flown in 1954, the nimble A-4 Skyhawk remains in active service with private military training contractors like Draken International. Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet, it reaches 670 mph during tactical combat training exercises.

Developed with Lockheed Martin, the FA-50 relies on a General Electric F404 afterburning engine. It tops out at roughly 1,150 mph and serves as an agile multirole fighter for Poland, the Philippines, and South Korea.

The HAL Tejas pairs carbon composite structures with an afterburning GE F404 powerplant. Operating above forty thousand feet, this compact single-seater hits 1,220 mph while delivering precision-guided munitions for the Indian Air Force.

Equipped with the colossal Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, the F-35A reaches 1,225 mph while carrying internal weapons. Sensor fusion and advanced radar make it the cornerstone of twenty allied air arms globally.

Adapted from French Mirage airframes, the Kfir served Israel before finding second lives with Colombia and tactical training fleets. Reaching 1,320 mph, its prominent nose canards improve high-speed maneuverability.

First entering Swedish service in 1960, preserved Drakens still perform at European airshows today. Its innovative double-delta wing and Svenska Flygmotor turbojet enabled speeds of 1,320 mph alongside short runway takeoffs.

Derived from the Soviet MiG-21, China built thousands of J-7s that still fly in Pakistan, Myanmar, and Iran. Its WP-13 afterburning engine propels the lightweight airframe to 1,320 mph on air defense intercepts.

Designed to operate from dispersed public highway strips, the Gripen hits 1,320 mph using a Volvo RM12 turbofan. Advanced fly-by-wire controls let Swedish and Brazilian pilots maintain high agility at supersonic speeds.

Over 4,600 F-16s have rolled off assembly lines since 1974. Powered by a GE F110 or Pratt & Whitney F100 engine producing up to 29,000 pounds of thrust, the Viper reaches 1,350 mph in clean configuration.

Nicknamed the Balalaika for its pencil shape, the MiG-21 remains operational in India and several African nations. Its Tumansky R-25 turbojet screams past 1,350 mph, making it a formidable high-speed point interceptor.

The Viggen was the first airframe to pair delta wings with active foreplane canards. Its massive Volvo RM8 afterburning turbofan included a built-in thrust reverser, allowing 1,386 mph sprints and landings on icy runways.

The J-10 serves as the primary single-engine multirole fighter of the People's Liberation Army Air Force and Pakistan. Its Saturn AL-31 or WS-10B engine drives the delta airframe to speeds exceeding 1,450 mph.

Dassault abandoned the delta wing for swept wings on the Mirage F1 to improve low-speed handling. Powered by a SNECMA Atar 9K-50 turbojet, these fighters hit 1,450 mph while training US military aviators.

France's premier single-engine frontline jet relies on a SNECMA M53 afterburning turbofan. In service with France, India, and Greece, the Mirage 2000 reaches 1,450 mph at altitude with exceptional agility.

Featuring swing wings that sweep back to seventy-two degrees, the MiG-23 remains active in Syria, Libya, and civilian airshow collections. Its Khatchaturov R-35 turbojet rocketed the jet to an astonishing 1,553 mph.