These Are The Fastest Single-Engine Fighter Jets In Service Today

When we think of the fastest fighter jets that have ever been made — whether they still in use or long retired — it's mostly twin-engine aircrafts. That makes sense, as the power of multiple engines will naturally allow you to go faster than you would with less. These also give the planes an extra layer of security, as they can run on one engine if the other malfunctions while in flight. Not every circumstance suits a twin-engine jet, though, as their size could prove to be a poor choice for a given mission. Therefore, militaries around the world still utilize single-engine fighter jets as well, which can be lighter and more nimble additions to air fleets.

While they may not rank quite as high on the overall list of fighter jets, there are some truly fast single-engine fighters out there with maximum speeds that even outpace some highly regarded twin-engine models. Unfortunately, some of the fastest single-engine jets have been retired, but there are still plenty zooming across the sky at speeds of well over 1,000 mph, with some even clearing the 1,500 mph mark quite handily. While some of these fighter jets have been produced relatively recently, aided by modern technological innovations, many of these lightning fast single-engine jets are several decades old and remain as relevant as ever in service.

[Featured image by Milan Nykodym via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]

There have been a number of single-engine fighter jets that would rank among the fastest jets of all time, but they never made it out of the prototype phase and into regular service, such as the North American XB-70 Valkyrie that was retired back in 1969. As for the ones that actually did make it to service, China has what's been the fastest single-engine fighter jet since it entered into service in 2005. That would be the Chengdu J-10.

In China, it has been given the name the Vigorous Dragon, and by NATO and the United States, the J-10 is referred to as the Firebird. Not only is this used by China's military, as you would expect, but China has also sold J-10 models to other countries looking to add jets to their arsenal. As far as speed goes, the jet can reach a maximum cruising speed of 2,335 km per hour, which equates to about 1,450 mph. However, multiple sources say that speeds can reach up to 1,687 mph, which exceeds Mach 2 — a speed some twin-engine jets can't even reach. Because there is some discrepancy in reported top speeds, it may be best to air on the side of caution with those numbers. Regardless, you aren't likely to find a faster single-engine fighter jet.

[Featured image by Russian Ministry of Defense via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Depending on what sources you are looking at, the maximum speeds of jets can differ. For some, the Chengdu J-10 is marked as the fastest single-engine fighter jet currently in service. According to others, Swedish manufacturer Saab takes the crown with the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. This jet first entered service for the Swedish military back in 1996, remaining there ever since. However, Saab has continued to upgrade and improve the jet over time to make a truly stunning fighter jet.

Initially, the jet used an engine made by fellow Swedish company Volvo. However, as it evolved, Saab decided to switch over to an engine by General Electric in 2022 for the E generation of the JAS 39. It is with this engine that the fighter jet was able to reach speeds of Mach 2 thanks to a reported top speed of 2,469 km per hour. That is the bare minimum you need to reach Mach 2, but the JAS 39 was just able to hit it. This particular speed is more agreed upon than the Chengdu J-10 across sources, and depending on which ones you trust for the Chinese jet, the Saab JAS 39 is either the fastest or the second-fastest fighter jet in service. Either way, it is a force to be reckoned with.

[Featured image by Tuomo Salonen/SIM Finnish Aviation Museum via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Some fighter jets are able to pass that Mach 2 barrier, and some just barely miss the mark. That's the case with the Dassault Mirage 2000, which hails from France. While the fastest single-engine fighter jets have been produced within the last 25 years, that does not mean there aren't incredibly fast aircrafts made before then. The Dassault Mirage 2000 began service all the way back in 1984 and has remained a fixture for 40 years, though new model production did end in 2007.

The maximum speed for this fighter jet is around 1,453 mph, less than 100 mph away from reaching Mach 2 speeds. Though, there have been upgrades made available for this jet to truly pass that barrier — adeptly named the Dassault Mirage 2000-5 Mk 2. Because of its tremendous speed and longevity, countries all around the world have been using this particular jet for their militaries, ranging from Greece to India to Peru. Recently, France announced that it would give several Dassault Mirage 2000 models to Ukraine as well, along with helping to train Ukranian pilots. That expresses tremendous confidence in an aircraft with four decades of history.

[Featured image by SRA GREG L. DAVIS, USAF via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]

Forty years is a long time to have a plane in service, but that pales in comparison to some of the other single-engine fighter jets that are still in use today. The next entry on this list goes all the way back to the 1950s and is the oldest fighter jet still in active service. Like so many of the fastest fighter jets — regardless of how many engines they use — this one comes as a direct result of the Cold War. The MiG-21 was built for the Soviet Union and designed by Mikoyan-Gurevich.

Although its twin-jet sisters, the MiG-31 Foxhound and MiG-25 Foxbat, get all the press for their truly impressive speeds, the MiG 21 is still remarkable. It has a reported maximum speed of 1,385 mph. While that falls short of the Mach 2 threshold by a bit, it's noteworthy for a single-engine plane that began service over six decades ago. In its life, dozens of countries have utilized the MiG-21 in their militaries, including Cuba, India, Syria, and more that still use them today. In the past, everyone from Finland to Iran was using them. Production on the MiG-21 ended back in 1987, but that hasn't stopped countries from wanting them in their fleet even today.

[Featured image by Michael Barera via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

Last on this list is a fighter jet that many people will likely have heard of before, and it marks the only entry of a jet produced by the United States. The U.S. may have the largest military in the world, but when it comes to single-engine fighter jets at super speeds, it's still catching up. However, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is still an incredibly fast aircraft that has been in service for nearly 50 years. Not only that, but the F-16s remain in production as well, allowing these jets to remain up to date.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon was first produced by General Dynamics back in the 1970s, but in the 1990s, production power of the jets was shifted over to Lockheed Martin. In terms of performance, it matches the Soviet-made MiG-21 almost identically with a maximum speed of 1,345 mph. Also like that jet, the F-16 has been used by countries all over the world including South Korea, Ukraine, and Iraq. It just goes to show you how sought after this particular fighter jet is, and considering Lockheed Martin is still producing the F-16 Fighting Falcon, that interest will seemingly continue.

[Featured image by Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]