4 Of The Biggest Fighter Jets In The World

When you picture a fighter jet, you're probably imagining a small, nimble plane that would be dwarfed by just about anything else in the sky. After all, speed, armament, and maneuverability matter much more than size, right? That's only partially true. 

Your average fighter jet is smaller than, say, a passenger plane like a Boeing 737 or a big bomber like the B-1 Lancer. However, even a fighter jet that's on the smaller side, like the F-16 Fighting Falcon, is still 49 feet, 5 inches long and weighs 19,700 pounds, according to the United States Air Force. That's almost four times the weight of a Chevy Tahoe.

Countries like China, Russia, the United States, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom fly all manner of fighter jets of all shapes and size. Among the fighter jets that are in service in the world, which jets rank as the largest? Who has the fighter that's the biggest and baddest? This list is limited to jets that are capable of being used in a fighter role and are currently in service. No Cold War relics here.

No discussion of big jets is complete without mention of possibly the meanest fighter jet currently flying — the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle. Over the course of Operation Desert Storm, the United States Air Force reported 37 air-to-air wins, and the F-15 was responsible for 34 of those. 

Along with other air forces, the Eagle has managed to rack up 104 victories in combat since it was first introduced in 1976. What's even more impressive is that, as of now, the F-15 has never been shot down by another aircraft. It has a perfect ratio. Along with taking out other aircraft, the F-15E Strike Eagle variant excels as a bomber, and an early F-15 model even recorded a "kill" against a satellite in orbit.

When it comes to size, the F-15 and all of its variations are big. The fighter F-15C variant measures in at 63.8 feet long, and weighs in at 31,700 pounds. Loaded up with weapons and fuel, it can weigh a maximum of 68,000 pounds. All that weight and size doesn't slow down the F-15 either, as it has a top speed of 1,875 miles per hour. 

The United States doesn't have a monopoly on large aircraft, and Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi is evidence of that. The Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback, itself a variant of the similarly big Su-27, stretches to 76.5 feet long — making it more than half the length of a Boeing 737-7 airliner. 

In fact, it's big enough for the pilot and weapon system officer to sit next to each other in the cockpit as opposed to in tandem like other two-seater aircraft. The wide cockpit and high-up seating position make the Su-34 look like a huge duck. But don't let the goofy looks catch you off guard. 

The Sukhoi can carry upwards of 17,636 pounds of missiles or bombs, and it has a top speed of 1,180 miles per hour. Fully loaded, the Su-34 weighs in at an astonishing 97,223 pounds. Like the F-15, the Fullback is capable of acting as both a fighter and a bomber, although in practice, it is used more against ground targets. Still, the ability to launch air-to-air missiles means the Su-34 isn't a plane to take lightly (metaphorically and literally).

One of the most advanced fighter jets flying today is also one of the largest. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor measures in at a stealthy 62 feet and one inch, and weighs in at 43,340 pounds unloaded. 

During the development of the Raptor, it was so secretive that after initial flight tests were completed back in 1997, the fuselage was then "used for live-fire testing" according to the Air Force. Essentially, they blew it up. Now, with 183 Raptors in the Air Force's roster, it's regarded as one of the most capable pieces of equipment on the planet.

Both Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines generate a combined 70,000 pounds of thrust that allow the beefy Raptor to propel itself to speeds exceeding Mach 2 — the exact top speed is classified. While other fighters like the F-35 Lightning II and the F-16 are sold to other countries around the world, the F-22 only operates with the United States. It's keeping the best for itself.

China has made recent developments in the genre of fifth-generation fighters, with the Chengdu J-20 first coming into service in 2017. It's the first stealth fighter of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force. Like the F-22, the J-20 is an air superiority fighter, made primarily for air-to-air engagements. However, it does not have a conventional gun. 

Instead, the Chengdu J-20 relies on air-to-air missiles. If the need arises, it can carry laser-guided bombs as well. Since it's a stealth fighter made for longer-range fights, it needs to be fast. The J-20 has an estimated top speed of somewhere around Mach 2 (1,534+ miles per hour).

Despite the speed, and air-to-air role, the J-20 is not a small aircraft. The U.S. Army reports that it has a length of 66.9 feet, making it a bit longer than the F-22 Raptor. Additionally, it weighs in a 70,750 pounds empty — it's a big fighter indeed. Internally, the Chinese military has given the J-20 the very fitting "Mighty Dragon" moniker.