Revealed: Top 10 best fighter jets in the world in 2026

It’s not an easy task to establish which are the best fighter jets in the world. These aircraft are designed for specific roles and missions, and tend to excel in one area at the sacrifice of another. 

Nevertheless, the performance of some of the best fighter jets within their area of expertise is undeniable. AeroTime has reviewed the capabilities of the current crop of fighter jets worldwide and picked 10 of the very best for our list.

To be considered for the list of the best fighter jets in 2026, aircraft have to be operational and in service. Experimental aircraft, prototypes, and aircraft in development have not been considered.

The 10 best fighter jets in 2026

Topping the list of the best fighter jets in the world in 2026 is the 5th-generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. This jet delivers exceptional all-around performance and true multirole capabilities that set it apart from the competition. Its stealth is unmatched, beaten only by the more expensive F-22 Raptor.

In second place is Russia’s flagship aircraft, the Su-57. While it is not as stealthy as the F-35 nor as heavily armed as the F-15EX, it excels in agility and is one of the most affordable fighters with such capabilities.

In bronze place is China’s first homegrown 5th-generation fighter jet, and one of only four operational stealth fighters in the world today. The Chengdu J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ scores highly for its massive 24,000 lb weapons payload, much of which is internal, giving it incredible stealth.

Check out the rest of the top 10 best fighter jets in the table below, and stay with us as we tell you a little more about each one.

Note on scoring used for defining the ‘best’ fighter jets

To evaluate the all-around capabilities of these fighter jets, we’ve scored them based on various categories. These include stealth, agility, weapons payload, speed and how widely used they are.

Points are awarded based on where the aircraft comes in our top 10 ranking of those characteristics. For most categories, the number 1-ranked aircraft will gain 10 points, dropping to 1 point for the 10th-ranked jet, and a firm 0 points for those outside the top 10.

1. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The F-35 is one of the most widely deployed 5th-generation fighter jets globally, with more than 880 currently in active service, as per the 2026 Directory World Air Force. The aircraft forms a backbone of US and allied air power. And there is a reason for that.

It’s stealthier than the Su-57, and stealthy from every angle, not just the front, with a radar cross section (RCS) that’s equivalent to a golf ball. However, it doesn’t fly as fast as the Su-57 or the Chinese J-20, and isn’t capable of true supercruise (supersonic speeds without afterburners).

However, as a true multirole fighter jet capable of excelling in almost any scenario, the F-35 remains one of the best fighter jets in the world today.

2. Sukhoi Su-57 Felon

Ranking the Sukhoi Su-57 as the second-best fighter jet in the world is bound to cause some controversy. After all, the US fields some of the most advanced fighters in the world, not least the F-22. However, the Su-57 is a truly formidable jet, ranking highly for agility, weapons payload, and stealth.

The supermaneuverability of the Su-57 is delivered by its 3D thrust-vectoring nozzles, with a superb thrust-to-weight ratio that makes it capable of turning on a dime. While its stealth is less refined than Western counterparts, it compensates with high-tech sensors, raw aerodynamic performance and a versatile loadout of both internal and external weaponry.

Russia’s Su-57 does not fare well in popularity, with only approximately 30 units in service as of 2026. While no deliveries were reported in 2025, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) recently received their first 2026 Su-57 batch in a “new technical configuration,” without disclosing the exact number of deliveries. Russia has also been actively promoting its export version. According to the 2026 Directory World Air Forces, Algeria has become the first export customer for Su-57, signing for 14 units. As of 2026, the country is reportedly taxi-testing a twin-seat Su-57 with a new cockpit.

3. Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon

Coming in hot is the ‘Mighty Dragon’ Chengdu J-20. It’s China’s first 5th-generation stealth fighter, and one of only four truly stealth fighter jets in the world today. While it’s undoubtedly been inspired by the impressive capabilities of the F-22 and F-35, it’s evolved into a capable fighter in its own right.

The J-20 was built with long-range operations in mind. It’s not as fast as some of the fighters on this list, but it can reach Mach 2 and maintain those speeds without afterburners, giving it true supercruise capabilities.

The 2026 World Air Forces Directory estimates that China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Forces (PLAAF) has 250 J-20 fighter jets in active service. The PLAAF has made it clear that it will not allow the export of the J-20.

4. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

Some readers may be perplexed to see the F-22 so far down the list, but there are reasons it didn’t score higher. This incredible feat of engineering has resulted in the most agile and stealthiest fighter jet in the world, with an RCS comparable to that of a marble.

Yet, while the F-22 is more than capable of disappearing, it has a rather low weapons payload, for which it loses points. It’s also the most expensive fighter jet in the world, with a unit cost in excess of $140 million (even though it’s thought each jet costs almost $300 million to build).

Nevertheless, the F-22 is a marvel of modern mechanics. As well as advanced stealth, it is capable of supercruise at Mach 1.8, and has a top speed of Mach 2.25, allowing it to give chase or disengage rapidly. Production of the type has now ended, with only 177 aircraft built. Even so, it remains a formidable fighter jet in the skies of 2026. The F-22 is exclusively flown by the US Air Force.

5. Boeing F-15EX Eagle II

When it comes to weapons payload, no aircraft can come close to the F-15EX. Almost 30,000 lbs of weapons can be loaded onto this flying bomb truck, making it the most heavily armed and modernized fighter jet in the world. Instead of building a brand-new stealth platform from scratch, the USAF took the legendary F-15 design and gave it an overhaul.

It’s not particularly stealthy, but it doesn’t need to be. Instead of sneaking in under cover, its top speed of Mach 2.5 means it can get in, strike, and get out again rapidly. It can haul 20+ air-to-air missiles in a single sortie using the Advanced Missile and Bomb Ejector Rack (AMBER) system, and is the perfect escort for more expensive stealth jets.

It’s the fastest operational fighter jet in the US Air Force – indeed, the world – outpaced only by the practically obsolete MiG-25 and MiG-31. There are currently about 25 F-15EXs in the USAF fleet, slowly replacing the older F-15Es. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the USAF plans to more than double the size of its F-15EXs, increasing the number of examples it aims to purchase from 129 to 267.

6. Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon, a cornerstone of European air power, was originally designed for air superiority, but has since evolved into a true multirole fighter. It might not be the best in any category, but rather than sacrificing any one of those traits for excellence at another, it simply does it all with a good level of competence.

Designed and built at the end of the 20th century, the Typhoon has been systematically upgraded over the years. The latest Tranche 5 upgrades include a redesigned cockpit with large area displays, better connectivity and the ability to operate alongside drones.

Across its performance envelope, the Typhoon has exceptional agility. Its advanced avionics and sensor suite contribute to its survivability, and it can supercruise at Mach 1.5 fully loaded.

7. Dassault Rafale

Dassault’s flagship fighter jet is the Rafale, meaning ‘gust of wind’ in French. The jet is the epitome of elegance with its sweeping curves and sharply pointed nose, but it’s as deadly as it is beautiful.

The Rafale is built for ‘omnirole’, a step beyond multirole that means the jet can perform all mission types simultaneously, not simply switch between them. It has advanced avionics and sensor fusion, alongside one of the best electronic warfare suites in the world (SPECTRA).

While it can’t be considered fully stealth like the F-22, it does incorporate stealth design features to reduce its RCS. The latest iteration, the F-4 standard, features radar and sensor upgrades that help it detect stealth aircraft at long range, making it one of the best hunters in the business. While the French fighter jet is not as widely deployed as the Typhoon, a broad range of countries currently operate the fighter jet, including Egypt, Greece, India, among others. Indonesia recently became its latest customer, marking the first Rafale operator in Southeast Asia.

8. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is by far the most widely used fighter jet globally. According to the 2026 World Air Forces Directory, 2,102 units are in operation right now, with more than 800 in the USAF and large fleets in Egypt, Israel, Greece and Turkey.

While the ‘Viper’ has a history dating back to the 1970s, it remains relevant thanks to continuous upgrades. It’s a true multirole aircraft, just as comfortable in air-to-air battles as it is performing reconnaissance. It supports almost every weapon in the US and NATO inventory.

The foundational F-16 airframe is 4th-generation; however, the modernized variants currently in production are often referred to as 4.5-generation aircraft because they have new radars, mission computers, infrared tracking and other updates. It’s one of the most widely deployed fighter jets in history and has proven its capabilities in multiple conflicts, from Operation Desert Storm to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

9. Sukhoi Su-35

The Sukhoi Su-35 may not be stealthy, but it remains one of the world’s most formidable 4th-generation fighters. Its exceptional agility is enabled by two-plane thrust vectoring, making it the only production aircraft to use this technology.

In close-quarters dogfights, the Su-35 is a dangerous opponent, capable of out-turning most Western jets. Combined with a large internal fuel load, long combat range, and a powerful passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar, it’s built for both air superiority and extended patrols.

The Su-35 carries a generous weapons load of over 17,000 lbs, and this, along with its electronic warfare systems, infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, and high speed of Mach 2.25, makes it a credible force in both defensive and offensive missions. With more than 100 units currently in service and exports to countries like Algeria, China and Egypt, the Su-35 is a key pillar of Russia’s tactical air power in 2026.

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

The backbone of the US Navy’s air arm, the F/A-18 has been in service in various forms since 1978. Its latest iteration, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, is a 21st-century-compatible version that has more range, more payload and requires fewer maintenance hours than the original Hornet.

Its 17,750 lbs of ordnance payload is impressive, and it’s been built to be compatible with a huge range of US and NATO munitions. While the Super Hornet looks like a beefed-up F/A-18C/D, it’s essentially a new aircraft, with around 80% of its structure redesigned.

The E/F designation denotes whether it’s a single seater or twin, but all models have folding wings to make them suitable for carrier-based operations.

What’s coming next in the world of the best fighter jets?

Only a handful of 5th-generation fighter jets are operational today, and 6th-generation aircraft remain in development. 6th-gen fighter jet programs such as the US NGAD, European FCAS, UK-Japan-Italy GCAP, or China’s J-XDS are far from entering final developmental phases. While sixth-generation fighters are still years away, there is still much to anticipate in 2026 and beyond.

South Korea is rapidly advancing its KF-21 Boramae, an ambitious project designed to replace aging F-4 and F-5 fleets. According to Janes, this 4.5-generation fighter is scheduled to enter service with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) in the second half of 2026, with plans to eventually integrate 6th-generation technologies.

Turkey is developing its homegrown fighter jet, the TAI KAAN. Early prototypes use General Electric F110 engines for 4.5-generation capabilities, but Turkey aims to switch to a domestic engine by the early 2030s to unlock 5th-generation performance and replace aging F-16s. Under the National Combat Aircraft program, the country signed a procurement contract for the first batch of 20 Block 10 jets in May 2026, according to Anadolu Agency.