Have you ever wondered about the most popular fighter jets in military aviation? We all enjoy watching air shows and the excitement of fast, loud jets on television. However, what about the aircraft responsible for national defense and often unrecognized for their contributions? These fighter jets represent the pinnacle of aerial warfare in 2024, each a marvel of technology and engineering. Their advanced speed, firepower, stealth, and maneuverability allow them to dominate in contemporary air-to-air and air-to-ground combat scenarios. How many of these heroes do you know? Join us as we explore these top 10 stealth bombers in the world before it’s too late.
Su-57
The Su-57, formerly known as PAK FA and T-50, is developed by Sukhoi, a Russian aircraft firm with roots in World War II. Sukhoi has contributed many designs to the Soviet Air Force and Army during the Cold War years. The Su-57 is a fifth-generation fighter using the latest aviation technology, radar-absorbing materials, and weaponry to provide excellent performance, agility, and response for future conflicts. The Su-57 challenges the American Lockheed F-22 Raptor as the world’s first fifth-generation fighter aircraft, introducing a second player to the previously exclusive fifth-generation club.
The Su-57 will replace the larger Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-35 Flanker family and the lightweight Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum, all fourth-generation fighters in the Russian inventory. It will also join the joint Russian-Indian FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) program. As a multi-role aircraft, the Su-57 is charged with air superiority, ground attack roles, and aerial surveillance using specialized onboard equipment.
F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Raptor is an exceptional fighter aircraft that combines stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics with improved supportability. The Raptor can perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, making it versatile and vital for operational concepts. It is designed to project air dominance at great distances and rapidly defeat any threats attempting to deny access to the nation’s air, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.
The F-22’s sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational awareness, and weapons provide the pilot with the first kill opportunity against threats. The Raptor’s sophisticated sensor suite allows the pilot to track, identify, shoot, and kill air-to-air threats before detection. The F-22 carries six AMRAAMs and two Sidewinders in the air-to-air configuration. It also has significant capability to attack surface targets, carrying two 1,000 lb GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) internally.
B-21 Raider
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is the latest addition to the United States Air Force’s attack arsenal and a successor to the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. It is the world’s first and only sixth-generation bomber aircraft. The B-21 is designed as a deterrent-minded stealth penetrator capable of entering enemy airspaces and attacking with a potent conventional or nuclear war load with minimal detection. It joins other advanced aircraft in the USAF inventory, including the Lockheed F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
The development contract for the B-21 was awarded on October 27, 2015, with Northrop Grumman coming out on top. The B-21 Raider’s design and capabilities make it a formidable component of modern aerial warfare.
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II represents the pinnacle of the United States’ fifth-generation fighter development. Since entering production in 2006, the F-35 has embodied the latest in combat aircraft development. The F-35 is an impressive reconnaissance aircraft, automatically communicating with every available land, sea, air, and space sensor within range to gather and share new intelligence in real time.
The F-35’s onboard AI system automatically sorts all available targets for destruction based on the threat they pose, preparing a firing solution for each threat. The aircraft’s advanced targeting pod can engage up to 50 high-speed targets beyond visual range. The F-35’s combination of stealth, integrated avionics, and supercruise make it a highly effective and versatile fighter.
F-16 Fighting Falcon
One of the most versatile aircraft in the US Air Force inventory, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the mainstay of the Air Force’s aerial combat fleet with over 1,000 F-16s in service. The platform has been adapted to complete several missions, including air-to-air fighting, ground attack, and electronic warfare.
The F-16A is a single-seat model that first flew in December 1976, with the first operational F-16A delivered in January 1979. In an air combat role, the F-16’s maneuverability and combat radius exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low-flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. The F-16 can deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point.
F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was a ground attack aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). Lockheed’s Skunk Works designed it as a development of the Have Blue technology demonstrator, making it the first operational aircraft built around stealth technology. The F-117’s maiden flight took place in 1981, and it achieved initial operating capability in October 1983.
The F-117 gained worldwide notoriety for its role in the Persian Gulf War of 1991, where it was commonly called the “Stealth Fighter,” even though it was strictly a ground attack aircraft. The F-117 was also used in combat in Yugoslavia, where the only loss of an F-117 in combat occurred in 1999. The Air Force retired the F-117 in 2008 due to the introduction of the F-22 Raptor and the impending arrival of the multi-role F-35 Lightning II.
