The American F-series fighter jets are not just a set of indices, but a whole evolution of aircraft: from the F-14 Tomcat with variable-sweep wings and global popularity in cinema to the F-35 Lightning II - the most mass-produced stealth fighter of our time. UNN tells about the uniqueness of American aircraft, how much the machines cost, and what made them popular.
F-14 Tomcat fighter: how the series' popularity began
The F-14 Tomcat is a two-seat, twin-engine, supersonic, variable-sweep wing interceptor, multirole fighter of the fourth generation manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation.
In 1968, the US Navy launched a competition for a heavy carrier-based fighter with variable-sweep wings, intended to replace the outdated F-4 "Phantom II," which lacked the maneuverability needed to gain superiority over Soviet MiGs.
From the very beginning of the project, the F-14 was designed as an aircraft capable of achieving air superiority in close proximity to the aircraft carriers from which these aircraft were intended to operate. An additional function was to be the ability to strike tactical ground and surface targets.
The first F-14 prototype took to the air on December 21, 1970, followed immediately by a pre-production batch of 11 aircraft. In the summer of 1972, F-14 trials on aircraft carriers were completed, and industrial deliveries to the fleet began in October of the same year.
F-14 fighter
The aircraft has cannon armament: a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel rotary cannon with 675 rounds. It can carry a combat load of up to 6600 kg, including AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as GBU-10, GBU-12, GBU-16, GBU-24, GBU-24E Paveway I/II/III LGB, GBU-31, GBU-38 JDAM, Mk-20 Rockeye II, Mk-82, Mk-83, and Mk-84 bombs.
Two F-14 Tomcat fighters, armed with 500-pound GBU-12 bombs, in the sky over Iraq
Key factors of popularity:
- innovative design: variable-sweep wings allowed effective operation at both low speeds (landing on an aircraft carrier) and supersonic speeds up to Mach 2.34 (approximately 2900 km/h);
- unique interception capabilities: designed to protect carrier groups from Soviet bombers, it was the most powerful carrier-based fighter of its time;
- combat experience: during the Iran-Iraq War, F-14s achieved dozens of confirmed victories, demonstrating high effectiveness in real air combat. In particular, Iranian ace Jalil Zandi shot down 11 enemy aircraft, including unconfirmed ones, among which were 4 MiG-23s, 2 Su-22s, 2 MiG-21s, and 3 Mirage F1s during the Iran-Iraq War.
In addition, the aircraft gained its popularity thanks to the film "Top Gun" starring Tom Cruise. The aviation theme of the film created such success in attracting interest in naval aviation that the US Navy, which helped make the film, set up recruiting stations near some cinemas.
Tom Cruise - scenes from the movie "Top Gun"
Interestingly, the aircraft, which costs about $38 million, was decommissioned in the US in September 2006, but it is still in service with Iran.
F-16 fighter: a versatile aircraft of several generations
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the most mass-produced fourth-generation aircraft. Since 1976, over 4,600 F-16 units have been manufactured, and they are in service with 25 countries, including Ukraine, making the machine the most mass-produced combat aircraft in the world. There are more than 10 modifications of it.
The fighter, which costs from $34 million to $162.5 million depending on the modification, was developed as a day fighter for air superiority.
Key features of the F-16 include a frameless canopy for good visibility, a side-stick controller for easier handling during maneuvering, an ejection seat that can recline 30 degrees from vertical to reduce G-force effects on the pilot, and a fly-by-wire control system that helps stabilize flight control. This system was first installed on this aircraft.
F-16 fighter with two external fuel tanks, AIM-9 and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, and an ECIPS/CJS electronic warfare pod
In total, there are three main generations of F-16 aircraft, namely F-16A/B, F-16C/D, and F-16V. All F-16 generations have different modifications.
F-16A/B Block 1, 5, 10, 15, 15 OCU – this is the first generation of F-16 fighters, equipped with an older radar, capable of using only a limited range of weapons. In particular, they can only use short-range AIM-9 air-to-air missiles.
The second-generation F-16C/D aircraft has many different modifications. F-16C/D Block 25, 30/32, 40/42, unlike the older F-16A/B, can operate at night.
Starting with the Block 30/32 modification, they can use medium-range AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, as well as AGM-84 anti-ship missiles and AGM-45 anti-radiation missiles.
Starting with the Block 40/42 modification, they are all-weather. A significant number of aircraft of these modifications have been upgraded to the Block 50/52 level.
The modern modification of the F-16C/D is the F-16C/D Block 50/52, Block 50/52+ and F-16CM/DM Block 50/52 MLU, Block 50/52 + MLU.
Compared to previous modifications, their armament nomenclature has been expanded to include AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles, long-range AGM-154 air-to-surface missiles, and GPS-guided bombs.
The F-16V Block 70/72 is the third generation of F-16s. These aircraft are designed to work in conjunction with 5th generation fighters, i.e., F-35s. The F-16V Block 70/72 differs from the Block 50/52+ by a new modern AESA radar with electronic scanning.
It should be noted that in 2024, Ukraine received a number of F-16 aircraft from European countries, including Denmark, which have F-16A Block 20 MLU modifications.
These are machines created in 1982, but underwent extensive modification in the 1990s under the Mid-Life Update (MLU) program.
In particular, the fighters received new avionics, and the radar station was replaced with a powerful AN/APG-66(V)2A. This radar can operate both for detecting air targets and for air-to-surface operations. The target detection range exceeds 110 km.
After modernization, the F-16s also received a new onboard computer, an updated EW system, navigation and communication, as well as updated weaponry. After MLU, the service life of the aircraft significantly increases - at least up to 30 years.
F-16 of the Ukrainian Air Force with AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
F/A-18 Hornet fighter: betting on carrier-based aviation
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an American carrier-based fighter-bomber and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation), developed in the 1970s.
Developed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was based on the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the US Navy and Marine Corps. The F/A-18 was designed as a versatile aircraft due to its avionics, cockpit displays, and excellent aerodynamic characteristics, as well as its ability to carry a variety of weapons. The aircraft can perform fighter escort, fleet air defense, suppression of enemy air defenses, air interdiction, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable aircraft on an aircraft carrier.
F/A-18 Hornet
At the request of the US Navy command, great attention was paid to survivability and reliability during the design of the F/A-18. The small dimensions of this aircraft, smokeless engines, low radar cross-section (RCS), weak infrared radiation, and the presence of onboard electronic warfare equipment - all this makes it difficult to detect and track the aircraft.
F/A-18 Hornet aircraft are armed with a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel cannon with 578 rounds of ammunition.
The fighter has 9 hardpoints with a total weight of up to 7 tons. It can carry many types of weapons, including:
- air-to-air missiles - AIM-120, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder;
- air-to-ground missiles - AGM-88 HARM, Taurus, AGM-84 Harpoon;
- unguided bombs of the Mark 80 type, CBU-87, and guided bombs equipped with JDAM.
The cost of the fighter is difficult to name, given the large number of versions. However, it can range from $29 million to $57 million.
There is also another version of the aircraft - the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, which differs by a pair of General Electric F414 engines that accelerate the aircraft to 1.8 times the speed of sound.
The fighter has 11 hardpoints for various weapons. Like its predecessor, it is also equipped with a nose-mounted "Vulcan" cannon, but with 166 fewer rounds of ammunition.
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters (front; has rectangular air intakes) and F/A-18 Hornet (third in line; has round air intakes)
Interestingly, as with the F-14, the F-18 also appeared in the movie "Top Gun: Maverick," released in 2022, also starring Tom Cruise.
An interesting moment with the aircraft is a photo that appeared in 2022, where servicemen from the VFA-25 Fist of the Fleet squadron of the US Navy installed a toilet on an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet - a reference to the Vietnam War, when in 1965, a US squadron aboard the USS Midway, before returning to the US, to celebrate the 6 million pound mark used in the conflict, decided to take a "special bomb" to North Vietnam.
To do this, they attached a toilet to the wing of an A-1 aircraft and dropped it on the North Vietnamese.
American fighter jet with a suspended toilet
F-22 fighters: a technological breakthrough of the fifth generation
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the world's first fifth-generation multirole fighter, adopted in 2005, designed for air superiority.
The F-22 is equipped with some of the most advanced stealth and sensor technologies ever applied. Its radar-evading design, supercruise capability, thrust-vectoring engines, and internal avionics are under strict control.
Interestingly, in 2006, the US Congress vetoed the export of the F-22 even to allied countries that already have fighters such as the F-15 and F-16. This aircraft, considered the most effective US aircraft in terms of air combat, was prohibited by federal law from being sold or leased.
Congress also ordered a study of the capabilities of a possible export version, which would include a reduction in the aircraft's level.
The technological breakthrough is that it combines ultra-high stealth (stealth technology), which makes it practically invisible: the radar cross-section is equivalent to a golf ball, thanks to special coatings and body shape, as well as supercruise speed (over 2,400 km/h without afterburner) and unique maneuverability with thrust vectoring.
The fighter's armament includes internal bays for six AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, two AIM-9 Sidewinders, and JDAM bombs, plus a 20mm M61A2 cannon with 480 rounds. The AN/APG-77 active electronically scanned array radar detects targets up to 400 km away, and the sensor system allows the pilot to "see" 360 degrees without turning their head.
Another interesting fact is that the fighters have a secret button - an "emergency switch" that erases secret software so that it does not fall into the hands of the enemy. In addition, although the aircraft has a tailhook, it still cannot land on aircraft carriers, unlike the F-18 and F-35.
The F-22 was created exclusively for the US Air Force as a land-based air superiority fighter. Its design does not have the necessary strengthening of the landing gear and airframe for the extreme loads of arrested landings and catapult takeoffs, and the stealth coating is sensitive to marine corrosion.
The cost of one fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter is approximately $130–180 million, and including the full costs of the program and development, it exceeds $330–350 million per unit. This is one of the most expensive fighters that has never been exported. The cost of one flight hour exceeds $85,000.
F-22 fires an AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile
F-35 fighters: how much do they cost, who buys them, and have they met expectations?
In 1996, the Pentagon announced the Joint Strike Fighter competition – a program designed to create a single fighter for the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Lockheed Martin, with their X-35 prototype, defeated Boeing's X-32 in 2001, winning a multi-billion dollar contract. Development lasted over a decade, with the F-35A's first flight in 2006, and entry into service in 2015 for the F-35B.
The F-35 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, generating up to 43,000 pounds of thrust, allowing it to accelerate to Mach 1.6 – over 1930 km/h. Its length reaches 15.7 meters, wingspan – 10.7 meters, and maximum takeoff weight – 31,800 kg. The stealth coating makes it almost invisible to radars, reducing the effective reflection area to the size of a golf ball.
Sensors like the AN/APG-81 AESA radar detect targets at 250 km, and the DAS system provides a 360-degree view, like an all-seeing eye. The pilot receives data through a helmet with a display, where information is projected directly onto the visor, making control intuitive. In 2025, the TR-3 update adds computational power, allowing AI integration for autonomous missions.
Compared to its predecessors, the F-35 has a longer range – up to 2200 km without refueling – and carries up to 8165 kg of weapons, from AIM-120 missiles to JDAM bombs. These characteristics make it versatile, but require complex maintenance, which sometimes becomes its Achilles' heel.
The F-35 exists in three main variants, each with unique features. The F-35A is the conventional variant for the Air Force, with in-flight refueling capability. The F-35B is for short takeoff and vertical landing, ideal for Marines, where a fan in the fuselage creates lift, like a transforming robot.
The F-35C is for aircraft carriers, with larger wings for better maneuverability at low speeds and reinforced landing gear for deck landings. By 2025, over 1000 units have been produced, with the F-35A being the most common.
One of the key advantages of the fighter is stealth, which allows it to penetrate enemy airspace undetected. The integration of data from other platforms, such as drones or satellites, creates a network where the F-35 becomes the brain. Its armament includes AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles, effective against air defenses, as demonstrated by an incident with the Houthis in 2025, where the fighter evaded a missile.
A painful point for the aircraft is its cost, as the program exceeded its budget by billions, with TR-3 delays in 2025 due to avionics problems. An hour of flight costs $33,000, requiring specialists and spare parts. Critics point to vulnerability to cyberattacks, as network dependence makes it a potential target for hackers.
Lockheed Martin reports record F-35 deliveries with two-year delay27.01.26, 22:13 • [views_7578]
In conflicts, such as in Yemen, the F-35 showed limitations in close combat, where maneuverability is inferior to the F-16. In addition, the environmental impact – high fuel consumption – is becoming a problem in the era of green technologies. But Lockheed Martin is working on hybrid engines, trying to mitigate these shortcomings.
Earlier, the head of the F-35 program management said that the cost of the F-35A in 2023-2025 is on average $82.5 million. For the carrier-based version of the F-35C, which is deployed on aircraft carriers, the US Navy pays $102.1 million.
The most expensive variant of the fifth-generation fighter is the F-35B. It has short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. Besides the US, only Italy and the UK currently have such aircraft. The average cost for the Pentagon is $109 million.
Interesting facts about the aircraft:
- the pilot's helmet costs $400,000 and allows them to "see" through the aircraft, like an X-ray;
- the F-35 can carry the B61 nuclear bomb, making it a strategic weapon;
- over 1000 units produced, more than any other stealth fighter.
Vertical landing of the F-35