Top 10 Fastest Aircraft in the World 2014

The use of aviation or aircraft was occurred in 1794 during the battle to secretly watch the soldier’s movement. The first published paper on aviation was “sketch of a machine for flying in the air” by Emanuel Swedenborg in 1716. By the early 20th century advances in engine technology and aerodynamics made control make flight possible for the first time. Now there are planes that not only can take people across oceans, but they can get it done going at supersonic speed. Here are the Top 10 Fastest Aircraft in the World that move faster than the speed of sound.

1. Falcon HTV-2

 

The Hypersonic technology vehicle is an experimental rocket glider developed by the DARPA Falcon project. It has the maximum flying speed of 13,000 miles per hour (21,000 km/h). It is designed with the capability to strike any target in the world within one hour. It was first launched on the 22nd April 2010 and over a year later, on the 11th August 2011 another flight was launched.

2. X-43

The X-43 was a hyper sonic aircraft and the part of the X plane series and of the NASA Hyper X program. It has several air speed records for jet propelled aircraft. It has the maximum speed of 7000 miles per hour (10,460 km/h). The aircraft weighted roughly 1300 kg and just over 3.7 meters in length.

3. X-15

The X-15 was a rocket powered aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation and operated by the Unites States air force. Only 3 aircraft were build and use of X-15 closed in December 1970. It holds the official world record for the highest speed ever reached by an aircraft. Its maximum speed was 4520 miles per hour.

4. SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71 Blackbird was a reconnaissance aircraft manufactured by Lockheed and Skunk work division in 1964. It is designed to cruise at the unthinkable speed of 2200 miles per hour. The SR-71 used by US air force and NASA between 1964 and 1998. Only 32 aircraft were built in which 12 were lost in  accidents.

5. MiG-25 Foxbat

The Mikoyan MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor designed by the Soviet Union’s Mikoyan Gurevich in 1964. It features powerful radar to air missiles with the maximum speed of 2100 miles per hour. It is the second highest flying military aircraft ever after the SR-71 aircraft. Production of the MiG-25 ended in 1984 after completion of 1190 aircraft.

6. Bell X-2 Starbuster

The Bell X-2 also known as Starbuster and a swept wing aircraft developed in 1945 by Bell aircraft corporation, US air force and the national advisory committee for aeronautics. Only two aircraft are built to find the aerodynamics problem of supersonic flight and to expand the speed. It has the maximum speed of 2094 miles per hour with the loaded weight of 11,300 kg.

7. XB-70 Valkyrie

The XB-70 Valkyrie was the prototype version of B-70 designed by North American Aviation in 1964. Only two aircraft are built and has the average construction cost of $1.5 billion. The maximum speed of XB-70 Valkyrie is Mach 3.1 or 2056 miles per hour. One of the two prototypes in a collision in 1966 and the other one is in the National Museum of US air force.

8. MiG-31 FoxHound

The MiG-31 FoxHound is a supersonic interceptor aircraft and the update version of MiG-25. This was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau in 1975. It is also popular as superdogfighter and has the maximum speed of 1860 miles per hour. Only 400 aircraft are built and used by Russian air force and Kazakhstan air force.

9. F-15 Eagle

The McDonnell Doughlas F-15 Eagle is a twin engine, all weather tactical fighter aircraft. It is considered as one of the best and modern fighters all over the world. It was first tested on 27th July 1997 and used in the United States, Japan and Israel air force in 9th January 1976. It featured variable sweep wings, weighted over 27,000 kg with the speed of 1650 miles per hour. It can climb up to 10,000 meters in just 10 seconds.

10. Aardvark F-111

The Aardvark F-111 was a tactical strike aircraft manufactured by General Dynamics in 1960. It was used in United States air force and Royal Australian air force. It has the features of strategic bomber and electronic warfare in many versions. It carried one 20 mm cannon and up to 24 nuclear weapons and had a peak flying speed of 1670 miles per hour.