These are the powerful fighter jets of the US Navy

24/7 Wall St. Outlook:

• The Super Hornet and Lightning II are two of the most important combat aircraft in the US Navy
• The Super Hornet has been a staple of the US Navy since the late 1990s
• The F-35 Lightning II is one of the newest combat aircraft to enter the Navy, and many of these aircraft are added annually.
• Also: Discover the next Nvidia

Known as the most powerful navy on the planet, the US Navy is home to some of the most advanced warships, submarines and aircraft. In addition to its sea power, the Navy is also known for having one of the largest cohorts of combat aircraft in the world. At the forefront of this are the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the F-35 Lightning II. (This fighter makes up nearly half of the Navy’s aircraft.)

The F/A-18 Super Hornet has been a staple of the US Navy since the late 1990s. Its versatility in terms of agility and firepower make it stand out among Navy aircraft. It is powered by twin General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan engines that provide a combined thrust of 22,000 pounds, allowing the aircraft to reach speeds of approximately 1.6 or 1200 mph.

In terms of armament, the Super Hornet comes standard with a 20mm Vulcan M61A2 cannon and can mount a wide range of missiles, common direct attack munitions and other munitions. These armaments, in combination with the aircraft’s advanced avionics, enable it to perform a wide range of operations.

Outside of the Super Hornet, the Navy has made significant additions to its F-35 Lightning II inventory. The Navy uses the C variant of the F-35 specifically for taking off and landing on aircraft carriers. These fifth-generation fighters, as the label suggests, excel at the next level of stealth technology and even more advanced avionics.

The F-35 comes standard with a 25mm GAU-22/A and can still be equipped with a range of missiles, joint direct attack munitions and other munitions, just like those of the Super Hornet.

These are just two examples of some of the combat aircraft used by the US Navy. 24/7 Wall St. take a closer look at the Navy’s arsenal and what fighter jets it has in stock. (This attack helicopter is one of the newest additions to the US Marine Corps.)

To identify combat aircraft flown by the US Navy, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed data from the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, and ranked aircraft by armament. In addition, we have included additional information about the type of aircraft, how many are in active service and maximum speed. I have excluded all training aircraft.

Here’s a look at US Navy combat aircraft:

Why are we covering this?

24/7 would like our readers to understand where their tax dollars are being spent. The Navy received $202.6 billion in government funding in 2024, second only to the Air Force at $216.1. billion. In fiscal year 2025, the Navy requested $16.6 billion of its funding to purchase 75 aircraft and helicopters, which is actually slightly less than in 2024.

6. MV-22 Osprey

• Type: Tilt-rotor VTOL aircraft
• Year of introduction: 2007
• Active aircraft: 27
• Maximum speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62 mm machine guns, 12.7 mm machine guns

5. MH-53E Pave Low

• Type: Multirole transport helicopter
• Year of introduction: 1981
• Active aircraft: 26
• Maximum speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 7.62 mm M134 machine guns, 12.7 mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns

4. S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year of introduction: 1979
• Active aircraft: 454
• Maximum speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm Machine Guns, Hellfire Missiles, 12.7mm Gatling Guns, M134 Gatling Guns, Missile Pods, 30mm Chain Cannon

3. Growler EA-18G

• Type: Carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft
• Year of introduction: 2009
• Active aircraft: 153
• Maximum speed: 1,181 mph
• Armament: Detection Pods, High Band Jamming Bridges, Low Band Jamming Bridges, AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR, SHARP, Harm Missiles, AMRAAM Missiles, Joint Range Weapons

2. F-35C Lightning II

• Type: Fifth generation multi-role strike fighters
• Year of introduction: 2016
• Active aircraft: 30
• Maximum speed: 1,199 mph
• Armament: GAU-12/U 25mm Cannon in External Bridge, Sidewinder Missiles, Paveway Guided Bombs, Rockeye II Bombs, Brimstone Missiles, Storm Shadow Missiles, Drop Bombs

1. F/A-18 Super Hornet

• Type: Carrier-based strike fighters
• Year of introduction: 1999
• Active aircraft: 421
• Maximum speed: 1,187 mph
• Armament: M61A1 Vulcan 20mm Autocannon, Sidewinder Missiles, AMRAAM Missiles, Harpoon Missiles, HARM Missiles, Maverick Missiles, Joint Direct Attack Ammunition, Rockeye II Bombs, General Purpose Bombs

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