During the time from the First World War to the present day in the Air Force different countries The world was served by a huge number of aircraft. But which of these cars are the best?

American experts have compiled the "top ten" of the most famous winged vehicles in history. Although, probably, experts from other countries may have a different opinion.

No. 10. Lockheed F-117 Stealth Nighthawk

Participated in hostilities in Panama, Bosnia and Iraq. Many of his technical specifications are still classified. According to some reports, it flies at transonic speeds and takes on board more than 2 tons of various ammunition. The atypical configuration of the fuselage ensures its invisibility to radars.

No. 9. Fokker DR1 Triplane

Source: airplane-pictures.net

Classic combat aircraft of the First World War. Year of creation - 1917. It was on such a machine that the legendary German ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron, flew. The triplane in those years was a real breakthrough in aviation engineering. Planes with three planes differed from biplanes (not to mention monoplanes) in their excellent speed and maneuverability.

No. 8. Mitsubishi A6M Zero


Source: free-photo.gatag.net

This tough fighter showed himself in all its glory in December 1941. Squadrons of aircraft of this type "made" the Americans at Pearl Harbor. In those years, the Japanese super-maneuverable "zero" could fly over and shoot down almost any aircraft of the anti-Hitler coalition. It was based both on the ground and on aircraft carriers. With an additional tank, it could operate at a distance of 3000 km from the bases.

No. 7. Hawker Siddeley Harrier Jump Jet


Source: royaltechnonews.blogspot.com

First flew in 1960. It is still the world's best vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Can use almost any platform. In real combat operations, in particular in the Falklands War of 1982, he established himself as a great fighter.

No. 6. McDonnell Douglas F-86 Sabre


Source: airportjournals.com

Star Korean War 1950-53 Worthy fought with his Soviet "antipode" - the MiG-15 jet fighter. The maximum speed is more than 1100 km / h.

No. 5. Messerschmitt ME 109


Source: www.elistmania.com

The pride of the German Luftwaffe. It was distinguished by powerful weapons and remarkable maneuverability. By top speed at 560 km/h was close to English fighters Spitfire. For many British pilots, having a 109 on their tail meant being in mortal danger.

No. 4. McDonnell Douglas F-18 Super Hornet


Source: fotokadr.pl

If Darwin had a favorite aircraft, then it would certainly be the revolutionary evolutionary F-18 Super Hornet. Many experts consider it the best among modern basic fighter-bombers. Two powerful motors provide almost double the speed of sound. It has been in service with the armies of NATO countries for 25 years.

No. 3. MiG-21


"Hot ten" of the best fighters in the world, which included american planes F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, Russian MiG-35, Su-30MK, Su-35, PAK-FA, European Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS 39 Gripen and Dassault Rafale was determined by the following parameters: speed and maneuverability, the level of stealth, the weapons system installed on board, the cost of production and maintenance.

10. F-16 Fighting Falcon (“Attacking Falcon”)- American multifunctional light fighter of the fourth generation. Developed in 1974 by General Dynamics. Transferred to service in 1979. The F-16, due to its versatility and relatively low cost, is the most massive fourth-generation fighter (over 4,540 aircraft built as of June 2014).

9 Saab JAS 39 Gripen- Swedish multirole fighter of the fourth generation, developed by Saab Avionics. Since 1997, it has been in service with the Swedish Air Force. Operated by the air forces of Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Africa and Thailand. The aircraft is made according to the aerodynamic scheme "Duck" with a medium delta wing. The airframe of the aircraft was created taking into account the reduction of radar visibility: 30% of the body is made of composites, 2 S-shaped air intakes.

8. MiG-35- Russian multifunctional fighter of the 4 ++ generation, developed by RAC "MiG". The MiG-35 was designed to destroy ground, air and surface targets at night and during the day in difficult as well as simple weather conditions with passive and active enemy electronic countermeasures.

7. F-35 Lightning II ("Lightning")- American fifth-generation stealth fighter-bomber, developed by the American company Lockheed Martin in three versions: ground fighter, fighter with short takeoff and vertical landing, and carrier-based fighter.

6. Eurofighter Typhoon ("Typhoon")- European multi-role fighter of the fourth generation, developed by Eurofighter GmbH, The aircraft was put into service with the air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Austria and Saudi Arabia.

5. Dassault Rafale ("Squall")- French multi-role fighter of the fourth generation, developed by the French company "Dassault Aviation". It is in service with the French Navy and Air Force.

4. Su-30MK- Russian multi-purpose fighter of the 4+ generation, developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. The fighter is designed to gain air supremacy, destroy air targets day and night, in simple and difficult meteorological conditions, as well as when using active and passive interference and airspace control.

3. Su-35- Russian multi-purpose super-maneuverable fighter of the 4 ++ generation with thrust vector control engines, developed at the Sukhoi Design Bureau. Experts consider the Su-35 "very dangerous" for any NATO aircraft with the exception of the F-22 stealth fighter. The danger of the Su-35 is associated with the ability to carry a large stock of long-range air-to-air missiles, the ability to launch missiles at supersonic speeds, super-maneuverability and powerful electronic warfare.

2. F-22 Raptor ("Predator")- American fifth-generation multi-role fighter developed by Lockheed Martin, Boeing and General Dynamics. The F-22 is the first fifth-generation fighter in service. Designed to gain air superiority. In the fighter laid latest developments in the field of avionics, electronics and stealth.

1. Su PAK-FA T-50- Russian multi-role fighter of the fifth generation, developed by a division of the United Aircraft Corporation - Sukhoi Design Bureau. The fighter has the highest characteristics: high speed, powerful engine, super-maneuverability, stealth and very dangerous weapons.

From the first steps of mankind in the conquest of the sky, the world has constantly observed evolution military aviation. Fighters have always come to the rescue in the military and local conflicts performing complex operations. To date, this type of aircraft has reached an unspeakably high point of progress in its development. In our time, no one can be surprised by the ability of a person to stay in the air element, but the high technology, colossal combat equipment of combat fighters and the mass of opportunities that open up before them really amaze the mind and excite the imagination. The wealth of power and variety of these war machines encourages the creation rating of the best fighters in the world.

10. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Unlocks the top 10 best Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters. It is in service with the US Army and is a carrier-based fighter-bomber and attack aircraft. Combat vehicles of this type are very popular for deployment on aircraft carriers. This fighter is equipped with a 6-barreled cannon capable of firing at a rate of 6,000 rounds per minute. Nine external mounts allow you to equip the aircraft with a wide range of different weapons, including: simple and laser-guided missiles, many types of bombs, as well as weapons that allow you to effectively fight against enemy ships, and a system that prevents aircraft from tracking on radars.

9 Saab JAS 39 Gripen

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen combat fighter, which ranks 9th in our rating, has been in service with the Swedish army for thirty years now. His first demonstration flight took place in the 88th year of the last century. To date, this fighting machine equipped with some of the best technology in the world. The fourth generation fighter was created specifically for effective management fighting in the conditions of the Scandinavian terrain - the limited plains and the severity of the weather. The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is armed with a 30mm cannon, Various types bombs (depending on the need), several types of missiles (guided and unguided).

8. MIG-35

The genius of the Russian military air armament is the MIG-35 fighter. This aircraft is planned to be put into service only this (2018) year, but it has already established itself as one of the best fighters, although it has not yet shown itself in the combat field. The MIG-35 has surpassed its predecessor in many ways. For example, this fighter consumes less fuel, the oxygen station produces more oxygen, and the duration of the autopilot during aiming has been extended so that the pilot has more opportunity to conduct accurate fire at the enemy. Among other things, Russian engineers managed to reduce the cost of producing a fighter, for comparison, the French side spends 2-3 times more on the creation of aircraft of this type.

7F-16 Fighting Falcon

The seventh line in the ranking of fighters is the American F-16 Fighting Falcon. At one time, this combat vehicle was the leader among the most popular in the world - the low cost of its production and high quality characteristics allowed US military factories to produce these vehicles in large quantities for export to other countries. IN currently There are over 4,700 F-16 Fighting Falcons worldwide. These combat vehicles managed to prove themselves in more than a hundred combat operations around the world.

6 Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon combat fighter is the brainchild of four EU countries at once, which has proven its effectiveness in real armed conflicts. One of the main advantages of this aircraft is the ability to interfere with enemy radars, which allows you to adjust the flight guided missiles. This, first of all, influenced the fact that the Eurofighter Typhoon became very "survivable" - getting into a fighter with such a system is quite difficult. Typhoon also surpasses its counterparts in firing range (as much as 100 km). Today, there are about five hundred such fighters in the world, and each combat vehicle is made using a unique technology.

5. Dassault Rafale

The pride of the French armed forces, the Dassault Rafale, was also on the list of the most powerful fighters. The creators claim that the only factor that prevents the incredible rise of this combat vehicle is its high cost. Dassault Rafale has been in service with the French army for 50 years, it has shown itself well in armed conflicts several times. However, today this fighter is used only for training and demonstration flights. Also, its name often appeared in air crashes, but the French side each time claimed that the human factor was the reason for this.

4Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Another development of the US Air Force was the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, designed to replace obsolete aircraft of this generation. The fighter entered service as navy USA, and ground forces- it is actively used on fleet aircraft carriers due to the short takeoff run distance and braking distance - during landing. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is also capable of vertical takeoff. After the development and release of the fighter in mass production it was exported to other countries of the world, the first of which was Great Britain. The aircraft is equipped with advanced electronics and powerful weapons.

3. Su-35S

On the third line of the rating is one of the best Russian fighters. The Su-35S made its first sortie in 2008. According to its quality characteristics, the fighter can be attributed to the 5th generation. US analysts dubbed the Su-35S the most dangerous and deadly model ever created in the USSR and Russia. To date, part of the characteristics and combat capabilities of the fighter is kept by the armed forces in the strictest confidence, therefore it is not yet possible to fully assess its combat potential.

2. Su-57

A completely new achievement of the domestic military industry - the Su-57. The fifth generation fighter is recognized by domestic designers as the best fighter Russian aviation. Today, this combat vehicle is on the same level as the American Raptor. The main feature of the Su-57 is the ability to fight with several opponents at once, which can be both in the air and on the ground. Currently, the designers are working on an improved camouflage fighter. The aircraft is equipped with the world's most advanced electronics and incredibly deadly weapons.

1 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

On the first line of the rating best fighters world "is the American Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. In fact, he shares the palm with the Russian Su-57. The Raptor is a 5th generation fighter, presented to the public in the second half of the 90th year. It is capable of performing many purposes and combat missions. On this moment The Raptor is recognized as an advanced development of American designers in this area. Among the advantages of a combat vehicle is complete invisibility to enemy radars. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is described as a fighter with high maneuverability, low fuel consumption and relatively low weight. Only two cases of the loss of these fighters in combat operations have been registered.

The most powerful fourth-generation fighter in the world, the Russian Su-35S, has arrived in Paris. He flew there not to bomb beautiful city in Europe, and - to participate in one of the largest air shows in the world - "Le Bourget-2013". The Paris Airplane Show was first held in 1908 and has been held every two years since then. Our country made its debut here in 1936, and since 1957 it has been a regular participant.

This time, 2,000 companies from 44 countries of the world will take part in the 50th anniversary salon. It is assumed that the amount of transactions that can be concluded during the show will be about 125 billion dollars. This could be a record figure in history.

The central place on the main alley of the exhibition was occupied by our Su-35S. So, get acquainted. This jet super-maneuverable multirole fighter of the 4++ generation is a deep modernization of the Su-27. But it can be attributed to the fourth generation very conditionally, since in almost all respects, with the exception of stealth technologies, the aircraft meets the requirements of fifth generation fighters.


This bird is designed to dominate the air by destroying any aircraft, destruction of surface and ground targets, in any weather conditions, as well as ground infrastructure facilities, air defense systems, etc.


The Su-35S is equipped with the BINS-SP2 strapdown inertial navigation system. It was developed by the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern, which is part of the Rostec Corporation. SINS-SP2 autonomously determines the location of an object without the use of satellite navigation systems and in the absence of communication with ground services, and is twice as accurate as previously created analogues.


In addition to BINS-SP2, the most important difference a new fighter from machines of the “4+” generation was the introduction of the fifth generation avionics complex. The Irbis-E rotary phased array radar provides guaranteed detection and capture of air targets at ranges up to 200 kilometers, and in a narrowed field of view up to 350-400 km. This system is capable of simultaneously tracking up to 30 targets and directing missiles at 8 of them, while monitoring the airspace is not interrupted. The radar also provides the selection of ground targets. The visibility of the aircraft itself for enemy radars has been reduced several times. The Su-35S is protected from enemy missiles by means of electronic warfare, developed by the same Radioelectronic Technologies concern.


The armament of the aircraft is divided into small arms and cannon, air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, unguided missiles and bombs.
Today, the Su-35S is one of the most popular fighters. Within the framework of the aviation and space show MAKS-2009, the largest deal in Russia over the past decades for the purchase of combat aircraft was concluded. The agreement provides for the delivery of 48 Su-35Cs; as of the beginning of 2013, 10 fighters have already been delivered.


This is the only aircraft in the world that can make a "pancake" - a 365-degree turn in a horizontal plane without losing speed. Experts from the air show began to speak very flatteringly about our aircraft, for example, engineer Christian Kunowski said the following: "I've been in this industry for 22 years, I've seen a lot, but this flight is something incredible! This is not a fighter, it's just a UFO! To be honest, For the first time in my life, I cried with delight!

While foreigners admire our technology, you can sleep peacefully, because the skies of Russia are guarded by the best fighters in the world.