9 Deadliest Fighter Aircraft That Rules The Sky

9. Boeing F/A – 18 E / F Super Hornet

The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm M 61 rotary canon, which can carry air to air missiles as well as carry air to surface weapons. Besides guarding the frontiers of the United States and Australia and serving the United States Navy and Royal Australia Air Force RAAF. It is also a fleet member of the Kuwait Air Force. This twin engine carrier capable multirole fighter aircraft has an additional capability of carrying upto five external fuel tank and can be tasked as an airborne tanker. Its design incorporates a combination of signature reduction, advanced electronic warfare capabilities, reduced ballistic vulnerability, use of stand off weapons and  innovative tactics that collectively add on to the safety feature of the fighter and the crew. Its per unit flyaway cost in USD 66mn

The Super Hornet has a length of 18.31 m, wingspan of 13.62 m and height of 4.88 m. It weighs 32,081 when empty and 47,000 lbs when equipped as a fighter. Its internal fuel capacity ranges from 13,760 lbs to 14,700 lbs. Its maximum speed is 1190 mph and has a combat range of 449 miles.

Due to its highly advanced avionics and safety features, it could potentially be inducted in the aerial fleet of Canada, Finland, Germany, Malasiya, Spain, Switerland and UAE. However Boeing had offered India a customized variant called F/A – 18 N which was then declined, but this aircraft is now a strong contender among 6 others to serve as a combat aircraft in the Indian Airforce.

8. Eurofighter Typhoon

The highly agile, twin engine canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft is manufactured by Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmBH which is a consortium of Airbus, BAE systems and Leonardo. Its per unit manufacturing and development cost is 125 million pounds. The Typhoon had its maiden flight on 27 March 1994.

Its length and height are 15.96 m and 5.28 m with a wingspan of 10.95 m. Its empty weight is 24,251 lbs and gross weight is 35,274 lbs. The maximum speed of the Typhoon is 320 mph at an altitude of 11,000 m and its combat range is 863 miles.

This air craft employs a sophisticated and highly integrated Defensive Aids Sub-System, named Praetorian, which monitors and responds automatically to air and surface threats, provides an all round prioritized assessment, and can respond to multiple threats simultaneously. Threat detection methods include a Radar warning system receiver ( RWR ), a missile warning system ( MSW ) and a Laser warning system ( LWR, only on UK Typhoons ). The aircraft primarily serves in UK’s Royal Air Force and Spanish Air Force.

7. Sukhoi Su – 35

This supermaneuverable, single seat, twin engine, supremely agile and improved version of Su – 27 is designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and built by the Komsomolsk on Amur Aircraft Plant. The Sukhoi Su – 35 is a multirole air superiority fighter aircraft which incorporates a canard and a multi-functional radar. It has the capacity to launch short and long range air to air missiles and unguided air to ground amunitions such as missiles bombs and rockets.

The 4++ generation Aircraft presently serves primarily in the Russian Air Force, China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force, Egyptian Air Force and Indonesian Air Force. It has a whopping per unit cost ranging USD 83-85 million.

6. F – 15 E Stirke Eagle

The F – 15 E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter which was designed in the 1980’s for long range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. This super fighter has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afganistan, Syria and Libya among others and successfully carried out deep strikes against high value targets and combat air patrols. Currently, its primary users are United States Air Force, Royal Saudi Arab Air Force, Israeli Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force. It is a twin seat fighter aircraft which is capable of firing air to air as well as air to surface missiles and dropping bombs to vanish the enemy within seconds.

5. Sukhoi Su-30 MKI

The Sukhoi Su – MKI is a twin seat heavy, all weather, long range, multirole air superiority fighter tailor made for Indian specifications. It is developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics limited ( HAL ). It is capable of launching rockets, firing air to air missiles, air to surface missiles, anti – ship missiles and anti radiation missiles and dropping bombs. The avionics include EL / M -8222 jammer and DRDO Tarang MK II radar warning receiver among other advanced features. The avionics also integrate French and Israeli sub- systems as well. India currently owns 272 Su -30 MKI’s having per unit cost of USD 50 million.

4. Dassault Rafale

It is a French Aircraft built by Dassault Aviation, which is also referred to as ‘omnirole’. The twin engine canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft is equipped with a wide range of weapons and can fire air to air, air to ground, air to surface and ASMP – A Nuclear missile. It has combat range of 1150 miles on penetration missile with three tanks. It primarily serves in French Air Force. French Navy, Egyptian Air Force and Qatar Air Force.

India has also ordered a total 36 aircrafts which includes  280 single seat and 8 dual seat fighters. Out of these 36 five have been kept for training missions in France and five have been inducted in Ambala Air Force Station in No. 17 Squadron ( Golden Arrows ).

Detailed List Of War Aircrafts Developed By China

3. Sukhoi Su -57

It is a single seat, twin engine multirole fifth generation jet fighter being developed by Russia. It is intended to succeed the MIG – 29 and Su – 27 in the Russia Air Force. It would be the first aircraft in Russian military to use stealth technology. Its estimated program cost is USD 8 – 10 Billion. The armament includes 30 mm Gryazev – Shipunov GSh – 30 – 1 autocannon and 12 hardpoints with super smart avionics.

2. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. It is also able to provide electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The aircraft can use six external weapons stations for missions that do not require stealth.

1. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin engine, all weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack,electronic warfare and signal intelligence capabilities.