What are the differences between the six generations of fighter aircraft?

When reading an article about a combat aircraft, you will often notice a reference to the fighter jet’s “generation” or a reference to a U.S. Air Force base transitioning away from “fourth-generation” aircraft. But what is a “generation” and what are the differences between different generations?  

To this day, there are six generations of fighter jets, five active and one under development.

To begin with, you should know that these are not formal categories but rather tiers based on evolutionary capabilities.  

First-generation fighter jets were aircraft that came into service in World War II and the Korean War. Their main firepower came from machine guns and cannons, although some used unguided rockets. Although fast for their time, they could only reach high subsonic speeds. For example, the F-80 Shooting Star that fought in Korea could achieve a maximum speed of 580 miles per hour, or around the speed of a commercial jet today. Similarly, the F-86 Sabre could reach speeds in the high 600s. In today’s value, the most advanced first-generation aircraft would cost around $1.7 million per aircraft.  

Second-generation fighter jets were aircraft that debuted in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. Compared to their predecessors, they sported more powerful engines and early electronic warfare technology, including reliable radars. Second-generation fighter jets also primarily relied on machine guns and cannons for their firepower. However, the first guided air-to-air munitions started appearing at around the same time. A good example of a second-generation fighter jet is the F-102 Delta Dagger, which could hit speeds of over 800 miles per hour. In today’s value, second-generation aircraft like the F-102 Delta Dagger would cost around $14 million per unit.  

Third-generation fighter jets came a few years after their predecessors and debuted in the 1960s. The venerable F-4 Phantom is perhaps the best example of a third-generation fighter jet. (Interestingly, a handful of countries, including Greece and Turkey, still fly F-4 Phantoms.) The F-4 Phantom brought with it all the comforts of a third-generation fighter jet, including faster speeds (it could reach almost 1,500 miles per hour), air-to-air missiles, and more advanced sensors. It was at this point that fighter jets started relying more on missiles than their onboard guns to shoot down enemy aircraft. Today, the F-4 Phantom would cost around $24 million. 

Related: More than missing guns: Why America lost dogfights over Vietnam

Fourth-generation fighter jets came in the late 1970s with the introduction of the F-15. In these aircraft, mechanical controls were replaced with electronic ones and a plethora of new munitions was introduced. To this day, fourth-generation fighter jets like the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15 Eagle, and F/A-18 Super Hornet still make up a large portion of the U.S. fighter jet fleet. In terms of cost, fourth-gen fighter jets come with a price tag of between $60 and $90 million per aircraft.  

Fifth-generation fighter jets brought with them stealth technology. Starting in 2005 with the F-22 Raptor, fifth-generation aircraft have advanced low-observability features that can make them invisible to enemy targeting radar. In addition, fifth-generation fighter jets have strong interconnected capabilities and sensors. The F-35 Lightning II, for example, is often called the “quarterback” of the skies for its ability to “talk” to friendly air, naval, and ground assets and coordinate their actions in a more efficient kill chain. As far as costs per aircraft, fifth-generation fighter jets come with a price tag of well over $100 million, depending on the type.  

Finally, sixth-generation fighter jets are the future. The U.S. Air Force recently announced its first sixth-generation fighter jet, the F-47, though the U.S. Navy will soon be making announcements for its own F/A-XX sixth-generation aircraft. As far as the capabilities of these aircraft go, stealth, longer combat radius, artificial intelligence, and advanced munitions are to be expected.  

Feature Image: A 36th Fighter-Bomber Squadron Lockheed F-80C-10-LO Shooting Star, Suwon Air Base, South Korea, 1950. (Menard, David W. (1993) USAF Plus Fifteen: A Photo History, 1947-1962 via USAF)

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