Combat aircraft are engineered for exceptional performance, particularly during active missions. These sophisticated machines are designed to precisely engage targets, whether airborne or on the ground, while maintaining a high degree of self-protection. The Most Advanced Fighter Aircraft integrate cutting-edge speed, stealth, and technological capabilities.
Identifying the pinnacle of modern combat aviation involves examining a combination of factors, including sensor integration, electronic warfare capabilities, weapon systems versatility, and network-centric warfare readiness, beyond just traditional metrics like speed or maneuverability. Based on insights highlighted in reports from authoritative sources such as Airforce-technology.com, The War Zone, and ThinkDefence.co.uk, several aircraft stand out for their advanced mission capabilities in the current global landscape.
Sukhoi Su-35
Air superiority fighter
| Characteristics | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | Mach 2.25 (1,300 knots, 2,400 km/h) |
| Combat Range | 860 NM (1,600 km) |
| g limit | +9 |
The Sukhoi Su-35 earns its place among the Most Advanced Fighter Aircraft for numerous reasons. Notably, it features an Irbis-E passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar capable of detecting targets up to 350 kilometers (217 miles) away, complemented by an infrared and optical scanner for passive, silent detection of airborne threats. A helmet-mounted sight, inherited from its predecessor the Su-27, likely enhances pilot situational awareness. Like other contemporary fighters, the Su-35 is equipped with a datalink system for enhanced communication and coordination.
The Su-35 boasts thrust vectoring technology, contributing to its remarkable maneuverability. Its extensive weapons payload capacity allows it to carry a wide array of munitions. This includes long-range active radar air-to-air missiles with a 300-kilometer (190 mi) range for air superiority missions, anti-radiation missiles for suppressing enemy air defenses, and various types of precision air-to-ground munitions. Discussions about the evolution of russian ww2 fighter aircraft highlight a long history of combat aviation development leading to modern platforms like the Su-35.
Russian Sukhoi Su-35 advanced fighter aircraft in flight
Photo: US Navy
In conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, the Su-35 has demonstrated its versatility by employing anti-radiation missiles, GPS-guided glide bombs, and engaging in long-range air-to-air missile duels. As illustrated in photographs, the Su-35 can carry semi-active radar-homing missiles and, beneath the engine intakes, active radar missiles equipped with their own radar seekers for target interception. The Su-35 is recognized as a long-range platform capable of agile maneuvering and delivering a diverse payload, with its advanced avionics facilitating the effective deployment of these weapon systems.
Eurofighter Typhoon
Multirole fighter
| Characteristics | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | Mach 2.0 (1,150 knots, 2,125 km/h) |
| Combat Range | 863 NM (1,620 km) |
| g limit | +9 / -3 |
Selecting the Eurofighter Typhoon for this list involved a difficult choice among potent aircraft like the Dassault Rafale and the Saab Gripen E/F. However, the Typhoon’s ability to carry a greater payload, its longer range, and its extensive combat history, similar to the Rafale, give it a distinct edge. The Eurofighter program represents a significant collaboration among European nations, drawing on a rich heritage of aviation engineering, including contributions from partners involved in projects like italian fighter aircraft.
A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon taking off.
Photo: Colin McLeod | Eurofighter
The capacity to employ anti-radiation missiles further enhances the Typhoon’s standing, a capability it shares with aircraft like the Su-35. The Eurofighter is slated to carry the cutting-edge SPEAR 3 missile, featuring multimode guidance, and the SPEAR EW variant, designed to jam enemy air defense radars. According to ThinkDefence.co.uk, the SPEAR missile is initially intended for integration on both the F-35B and the Eurofighter Typhoon. This missile is designed for efficient carriage, with three capable of sharing an external pylon and four fitting onto each of the F-35’s two internal bays.
The Eurofighter is also renowned for its exceptional maneuverability, powered by two Eurojet EJ200 engines. Each engine produces 13,500 pounds of thrust without afterburner and 20,200 pounds with afterburner (reheat). This power allows the Typhoon to achieve high speeds and perform impressive air intercepts and interdictions.
In terms of sensors, the Eurofighter initially relied on the Euroradar Captor for rapid target scanning. This is currently being upgraded to the Captor-E, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar that can electronically steer its beam without mechanical movement. Unlike PESA radars which have a single transmitter/receiver, AESA radars feature individual transmit/receive elements for enhanced performance and flexibility.
A Eurofighter Typhoon flying in the sky.
Photo: sam-whitfield1 | Shutterstock
Complementing its radar, the Eurofighter is equipped with PIRATE (Passive InfraRed Airborne Tracking Equipment). PIRATE is an infrared search and track (IRST) system that allows the Typhoon to passively track other aircraft without emitting detectable radar signals. Furthermore, the Eurofighter can utilize an infrared pod equipped with a laser designator to identify and designate targets for precision-guided bombs.
F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet & EA-18G Growler
Multirole combat aircraft
| Characteristics | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | Mach 1.8 (1,034 knots, 1,915 km/h) |
| Combat Range | 400 NM (740 km) |
| g limit | +9 |
Yes, the Super Hornet, famously featured in “Top Gun: Maverick,” makes this list of the most advanced fighter aircraft. However, its inclusion is primarily due to the capabilities of its electronic warfare variant, the EA-18G Growler. While discussing modern US combat aircraft, it’s interesting to look back at the history of aviation manufacturers like those who produced douglas fighter aircraft, laying the groundwork for today’s designs.
Two Boeing EA-18G Growlers of the Growler Demo Team in formation.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
The EA-18G Growler, depicted above, is specifically modified for electronic attack missions, featuring additional electronic systems, wingtip jamming pods, and lacking the internal gun of the Super Hornet. It provides critical capabilities including stand-off jamming, electronic surveillance, electronic attack, and suppression of enemy air defenses. Essentially, the Growler is designed to find and neutralize threats across the electromagnetic spectrum, from radars to communication systems.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet punches through the clouds above thousands of spectators during the Farnborough International Air Show.
Photo: USAF
Both the Super Hornet and Growler are equipped with impressive avionics suites, including the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). These aircraft can deploy a wide range of armaments, from the heat-seeking AIM-9X Sidewinder to the radar-guided AIM-120 AMRAAM, as well as the full complement of US air-to-ground munitions. Uniquely among the aircraft on this list, the Super Hornet variant can also serve as an aerial refueling tanker, adding significant operational flexibility. These features, combined with ongoing upgrades like the Block III package, solidify their status as advanced fighter jets. A minor but practical advancement is the inclusion of a self-contained boarding ladder on the Super Hornets and Growlers. Beyond military roles, there are many specialized aircraft like us fire fighting aircraft performing vital civilian tasks.
F-15EX Eagle II
Air superiority fighter
| Characteristics | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | Mach 2.5 (1,665 knots, 2,655 km/h) |
| Combat Range | 1,061 NM (1,965 km) |
| g limit | +9 |
The F-15EX Eagle II represents the latest evolution of the venerable F-15 Eagle, an aircraft originally designed in the 1970s with a primary focus on air superiority. The Eagle II builds upon the F-15’s proven success in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, enhancing its capabilities with increased weapon carriage capacity and upgraded sensors.
Its sensor suite includes a Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, a Lockheed Martin Legion Pod for infrared search and track (allowing passive tracking without radar emissions), and an IR targeting pod. This combination continues the F-15’s tradition of being able to search, identify, designate, and attack targets autonomously when necessary. The lineage of US fighter development stretches back through history, including designs like us fighter aircraft of ww2 which set standards for performance and capability.
Two U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles on an airfield apron.
Photo: US Air Force
According to an interview in The War Zone with the radar’s lead developer, the AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar requires less maintenance compared to earlier versions. This AESA radar represents an evolution from the APG-79 on the F/A-18 and the APG-63V3 on the F-15C/D, incorporating the best features from both air-to-ground and air-to-air modes. Michelle Styczynski, head of Raytheon’s F-15 radar program, commented on the F-15EX’s role in conjunction with the F-35:
“Basically, the F-15EX is being compared to an F-35, but really, from my point of view, they’re best working together and F-15EX gives them an ability to have that big searchlight out there via its powerful radar.”
The F-15EX cockpit also features a large, reprogrammable touchscreen display, a significant upgrade from the smaller multi-function displays in the F-15E and the older cockpit layout of the F-15C. Modernized F-15Cs were retrofitted with large displays to integrate with systems like the Sniper IR pod, enabling visual confirmation of potential threats at distance – a capability carried over to the F-15EX.
The F-15EX retains the full air-to-ground strike capability of the F-15E and adds the potential to carry anti-radiation missiles, alongside its formidable air-to-air arsenal. Variants inspired by the F-15EX, such as the F-15IA for Israel, are designed to carry missiles like the AGM-88B HARM anti-radiation missile.
A F-15IA Poster displying armament and payload options.
Image: Boeing
In an era demanding precision strike with a broad spectrum of weapons and the ability to counter other advanced fighters, the F-15EX demonstrates the continued relevance of this enduring design.
F-35 A/B/C Lightning II
Stealth multirole combat aircraft
| Characteristics | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Maximum Speed | Mach 1.6 (700 knots, 1,296 km/h) |
| Combat Range | 669 NM (1,239 km) |
| g limit | +9 |
The primary reason the F-35 family is often cited as the most advanced fighter aircraft is its unparalleled ability to integrate data from various sensors and display critical information on a sophisticated helmet-mounted display (HMD). This display can project information across a 40-degree horizontal by 30-degree vertical field of view, integrating a heads-up display, providing night vision capability without separate goggles, and offering a visual targeting sight.
Furthermore, the F-35’s HMD can merge imagery from six external cameras positioned around the aircraft, allowing the pilot to ‘see through’ the airframe for 360-degree situational awareness. The Collins Aerospace display is custom-fitted for each pilot and includes video recording functionality. Beyond the HMD and HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) controls, the cockpit features touch controls and a very large, reprogrammable touchscreen display, enhancing the pilot’s interface.
US Marine Corps pilot using F-35 cockpit simulator with advanced helmet display
Photo: US Marine Corps
These capabilities are precisely why aircraft like the F-22A Raptor, despite its thrust vectoring, higher speed, and superior stealth, do not top this specific list focused on most advanced capabilities in the modern context. While the F-22 excels in air-to-air combat, it lacks the sensor fusion, weapon versatility, and modern cockpit interface of the F-35. The F-22’s weapon carriage is more limited, primarily consisting of AIM-120, AIM-9, an internal gun, and a limited number of bombs (J-DAMs, Small Diameter Bombs). In contrast, the F-35 can carry a much wider variety and greater quantity of weapons, internally for stealth or externally for maximum payload.
The F-35A includes optical sensors for targeting and weapon deployment. Unlike the F-22A, which relies on multi-function displays from the 1990s, the F-35A’s large touchscreen can simultaneously display flight data, sensor information, and even text communications.
Northrop Grumman AN-APG-81 AESA radar antenna for F-35 aircraft
Photo: Daderot | Wikimedia Commons
Another key advancement in the F-35 family is the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 AESA radar, shown above. This radar offers long-range detection and includes a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode. SAR allows the aircraft to map ground areas regardless of cloud cover, identifying targets and generating GPS coordinates for precision strikes.
When clear weather permits, the F-35 utilizes its internally mounted Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), located under a nose-mounted sapphire window. Integrating the IR targeting capability internally, unlike external pods used on previous generation aircraft, frees up hardpoints and allows for passive targeting without requiring radar emissions to generate GPS coordinates for guided weapons. The EOTS is visible on the underside of the F-35’s nose.
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II in afterburner showing Pratt & Whitney F135 engine
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
Reaching the target requires power, and the F-35 is equipped with the Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan engine. As seen above, this engine provides 28,000 pounds of dry thrust and 43,000 pounds in afterburner. According to Airforce-Technology.com, the F135 also has a unique variant for the F-35B Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (STOVL) model, directing thrust downwards with an 18,000-pound rear nozzle, a 20,000-pound lift fan, and 3,900-pound roll posts for vertical flight control. The engine incorporates a health management system that monitors its condition, providing telemetry to ground crews to simplify maintenance and troubleshooting.
US military pilot
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
Ultimately, the F-35 stands out as arguably the most advanced fighter due to its superior cockpit design, integrated sensor suite, extensive weapon carriage flexibility, and advanced engine technology. Its low observable characteristics (stealth) are a key feature, yet it retains practical elements like a self-contained boarding ladder.
Conclusion
In the contemporary era of aerial combat, the definition of the “most advanced fighter aircraft” has shifted. Pure speed is no longer the sole determinant, nor is stealth capability alone sufficient with limited armament. Instead, the crucial factors in the 2020s are the ability to effectively operate in contested airspace, reach targets, and deliver diverse effects – whether kinetic strikes, electronic warfare, or simply maintaining a persistent presence. Versatility and persistence have emerged as paramount attributes for the most advanced platforms.
