The Eurofighter Typhoon, a cornerstone of European air power, has been ranked sixth among the world's 10 deadliest fighter jets, according to aviation media outlet AeroTime. The ranking, which reviewed the capabilities of current fighter jets worldwide, places the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II at the top.
Ranking criteria and top contenders
AeroTime evaluated fighter jets that are operational and in service, scoring them on stealth, agility, weapons payload, speed, and how widely used they are. The F-35 Lightning II, with more than 880 units in active service as per the 2026 Directory World Air Force, excels due to its revolutionary stealth design, real-time sensor fusion, and network-centric warfare capabilities.
Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 Felon ranks second, praised for agility, weapons payload, and stealth. China's Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, the country's first fifth-generation stealth fighter, takes third place. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, the world's most expensive fighter jet with a unit cost exceeding $140 million, secures fourth position.
Eurofighter Typhoon's position
The Eurofighter Typhoon claims the sixth place in the ranking. The aircraft is a cornerstone of European air power, designed for multiple roles and missions.
The ranking highlights that each aircraft tends to excel in one area at the sacrifice of another, making a fully accurate and objective ranking difficult to compile. However, AeroTime has reviewed the current crop of fighter jets worldwide and picked 10 of the very best.
