When it comes to warfare, speed is of the essence, at least in Aerial warfare. A split second advantage can translate either into a deadly mess or a medal of honor, depending on who you are playing of course. Here we take a look at the top 10 fastest fighters in the world.
No 10. Convair F-106 Delta Dart
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.3 (1,525 mph, 2,455 km/h) |
| Range | 1,800 mi (2,900 km) combat |
| Ferry range | 2,700 mi (4,300 km) |
| Service ceiling | 57,000 ft (17,000 m) |
| Rate of climb | 29,000 ft/min (150 m/s) |
| Wing loading | 52 lb/ft² (255 kg/m²) |
| Thrust/weight | 0.71 |
| Lift-to-drag ratio | 12.1 |
| Time to altitude | 6.9 min to 52,700 ft (16,065 m) |
This was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the US Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. With US Air Force the sole operator of the aircraft it topped at Mach 2.3. It is considered by many to be the finest all-weather interceptor ever built.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59TLU7cc7mg[/youtube]
No 9. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.32, 2,445 km/h; Mach 1.14, 1,350 km/h at sea level |
| Range | 1,150 km with six AAMs combat, 2,820 km ferry (570 mi / 1,750 mi) |
| Service ceiling | 18,500 m (60,695 ft) |
| Rate of climb | 240 m/s (47,245 ft/min) |
| Wing loading | 420 kg/m² (78.6 lb/ft²) |
| Thrust/weight | 0.88 |
This is the Russian version of the “swing wing” type; a configuration for the aircrafts first developed by the US, which will be discussed later in the article. It tops at about Mach 2.32 at high altitudes. Over 5000 MiG-23s and its variants were produced, with price ranging between US$3.6 million and US$6.6 million, depending on the customer. With wings fully spread, the aircraft had a shorter take-off/landing roll and wings swept back completely gave it more speed.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ6NRV7zyHk[/youtube]
