The biggest fighter jet in the world in 2026 is Russia’s Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback”, at 23.34 m (76 ft 7 in) long. The heaviest is the MiG-31 “Foxhound”, at 46,200 kg (about 102,000 lb) maximum takeoff weight. Ranked by length, the top 10 fighters in active service are the Su-34, MiG-31, Shenyang J-15/J-16, Su-30MKI, Su-35S, Chengdu J-20, Su-57, F-15EX, F-14 Tomcat and F-22 Raptor.
Seven of the ten are Russian or Chinese. That’s no accident: the Soviet Union needed fighters that could cover enormous distances without tankers, and the Su-27 “Flanker” family it designed for that job has kept growing ever since. China’s jets are mostly descendants of the same airframe.
Below you’ll find the full ranking with length, wingspan and weight for every aircraft, how the list changes if you measure “biggest” by weight instead, and the retired giants and new prototypes that sit just outside it.
Quick answer: the top 10 biggest fighter jets in 2026
| Rank | Fighter jet | Country | Length | Wingspan | Max takeoff weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” | Russia | 23.34 m (76 ft 7 in) | 14.70 m (48 ft 3 in) | 45,100 kg (99,400 lb) |
| 2 | Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound” | Russia | 22.62 m (74 ft 3 in)* | 13.46 m (44 ft 2 in) | 46,200 kg (101,850 lb) |
| 3 | Shenyang J-15 / J-16 | China | 22.3 m / 21.9 m (est.) | 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in) | 33,000 / 35,000 kg (est.) |
| 4 | Sukhoi Su-30MKI | Russia / India | 21.9 m (71 ft 10 in) | 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in) | 38,800 kg (85,500 lb) |
| 5 | Sukhoi Su-35S | Russia | 21.9 m (71 ft 10 in) | 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in) | 34,500 kg (76,060 lb) |
| 6 | Chengdu J-20 | China | 21.2 m (69 ft 7 in) (est.) | 13.0 m (42 ft 8 in) | 37,000 kg (81,600 lb) (est.) |
| 7 | Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon” | Russia | 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in) | 14.1 m (46 ft 3 in) | 35,000 kg (77,200 lb) |
| 8 | Boeing F-15EX Eagle II | USA | 19.45 m (63 ft 10 in) | 13.05 m (42 ft 10 in) | 36,700 kg (81,000 lb) |
| 9 | Grumman F-14 Tomcat | USA (flown by Iran) | 19.13 m (62 ft 9 in) | 19.55 m (64 ft 2 in) spread | 33,700 kg (74,500 lb) |
| 10 | Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor | USA | 18.9 m (62 ft 1 in) | 13.6 m (44 ft 7 in) | 38,000 kg (83,500 lb) |
*Sources disagree on the MiG-31’s length: 22.62 m (AeroCorner) or 21.5 m (Airforce Technology). “Est.” means China has not published official figures, so the number is an outside estimate.
How we ranked the biggest fighter jets
“Biggest” can mean three things: length, wingspan or weight. There’s no official standard, and each one produces a different order. We followed the convention most aviation publications use and ranked by overall length, then showed wingspan and weight alongside so you can see the full picture.
Our rules:
- Only jets in active service in late 2026. Retired aircraft and prototypes are covered separately further down.
- Strike fighters count. The Su-34 and F-15EX are both strike fighters built on fighter airframes. Leaving one out while keeping the other would be inconsistent.
- Largest variant still flying. Where a jet has several versions, we used the biggest one in service.
- Weights are maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) unless stated otherwise. Many online lists mix empty weight with takeoff weight, which is why you’ll see wildly different numbers for the same aircraft.
1. Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback”: the longest fighter in service
Length: 23.34 m (76 ft 7 in) | Wingspan: 14.70 m | MTOW: 45,100 kg (99,400 lb) | Operator: Russia
The Su-34 is the longest fighter jet in production and in service anywhere in the world. It’s a two-seat fighter-bomber built on the Su-27 airframe, with a wide, flattened nose that seats the pilot and navigator side by side, which is why it’s nicknamed the “Platypus”. It formally entered Russian service in 2014 and has become the backbone of Russia’s tactical strike force.
One caveat: the Su-34 is a strike aircraft first and an air-to-air fighter second. If you only count pure air-superiority fighters and interceptors, the MiG-31 takes the top spot instead.
2. Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound”: the heaviest fighter in the world
Length: 22.62 m (74 ft 3 in) | Wingspan: 13.46 m | MTOW: 46,200 kg (101,850 lb) | Operators: Russia, Kazakhstan
The MiG-31 is the heaviest operational fighter on the planet. It was designed in the 1970s to intercept bombers and cruise missiles over Russia’s vast northern territory, so it was built for speed (over Mach 2.8) and range rather than agility. Upgraded MiG-31BM jets remain in front-line service, and the MiG-31K version carries the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
Its length is the most disputed figure on this list. If you go with the shorter 21.5 m figure some sources quote, it would drop to around fifth place, behind the Flankers.
3. Shenyang J-15 / J-16: China’s heavy Flankers
Length: 22.3 m (J-15) / 21.9 m (J-16), est. | Wingspan: 14.7 m | MTOW: 33,000–35,000 kg, est. | Operator: China
The J-15 is China’s carrier-based fighter, flown from its aircraft carriers, and the J-16 is a land-based two-seat strike fighter. Both are close relatives of the Russian Su-27 and Su-33, so they share one entry here. The older J-11 has almost exactly the same footprint.
Because China doesn’t publish official specifications, all of these numbers are estimates. The J-15’s slight length advantage over the Su-30 is not well documented, so treat this ranking as provisional.
4. Sukhoi Su-30MKI: the heaviest Flanker
Length: 21.9 m (71 ft 10 in) | Wingspan: 14.7 m | MTOW: 38,800 kg (85,500 lb) | Main operator: India
The Su-30MKI is the Indian Air Force’s version of the two-seat Su-30, and it’s the heaviest member of the whole Flanker family. India operates a fleet of around 260, making it one of the most numerous heavy fighters in the world. Other Su-30 variants fly with Russia, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Algeria and others.
5. Sukhoi Su-35S: the widest Flanker
Length: 21.9 m (71 ft 10 in) | Wingspan: 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in) | MTOW: 34,500 kg (76,060 lb) | Operators: Russia and export customers
The Su-35S is the same length as the Su-30MKI, so the tie is broken on other measures. It has the widest wingspan of any Flanker (including wingtip pods) but is lighter than the Su-30MKI at takeoff. It’s the most advanced non-stealth Flanker, with thrust-vectoring engines that make it one of the most maneuverable fighters flying.
6. Chengdu J-20 “Mighty Dragon”: the biggest stealth fighter in service
Length: 21.2 m (69 ft 7 in), est. | Wingspan: 13.0 m | MTOW: 37,000 kg (81,600 lb), est. | Operator: China
The J-20 is the longest stealth fighter in operational service anywhere, and the most numerous large fighter on this list. Analysts estimate around 500 had been built by mid-2026, with China producing 100 to 120 a year. The J-20A and twin-seat J-20S variants were shown publicly in September 2025.
Its length varies between sources (roughly 20.3 m to 21.2 m), but even at the shorter figure it stays just ahead of the Su-57.
7. Sukhoi Su-57 “Felon”: Russia’s stealth fighter
Length: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in) | Wingspan: 14.1 m | MTOW: 34,000–35,000 kg | Operators: Russia, Algeria
The Su-57 has the largest wing area of any fighter in service (78.8 m²), even though it’s shorter than the Flankers. It’s still rare: analysts estimate only about 42 to 44 production jets existed by early 2026, against a contract for 76 by 2028. Algeria became the first export customer for the Su-57E.
8. Boeing F-15EX Eagle II: the biggest American fighter
Length: 19.45 m (63 ft 10 in) | Wingspan: 13.05 m | MTOW: 36,700 kg (81,000 lb) | Operator: USA
The F-15EX is the longest fighter in the US inventory. It shares its airframe with the F-15E Strike Eagle and export versions flown by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel and others. It entered US Air Force service in 2024, and its future is looking bigger: the 2027 budget request more than doubled the planned purchase from 129 to 267 jets.
9. Grumman F-14 Tomcat: the widest wingspan of any fighter still flying
Length: 19.13 m (62 ft 9 in) | Wingspan: 19.55 m (64 ft 2 in) with wings spread | MTOW: 33,700 kg (74,500 lb) | Operator: Iran
The US Navy retired the Tomcat in 2006, but Iran still flies a small number. With its swing wings fully spread, it has the widest span of any fighter in service. It only just qualifies for this list: Israeli strikes destroyed at least five Iranian F-14s in June 2025 and at least two more in March 2026, and estimates of how many can still fly range from a handful to about 25.
If you’d rather count only healthy front-line fleets, move the F-22 up to ninth and put the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (18.5 m, 29,900 kg MTOW) in tenth.
10. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor: small footprint, heavy hitter
Length: 18.9 m (62 ft 1 in) | Wingspan: 13.6 m | MTOW: about 38,000 kg (83,500 lb) | Operator: USA
The F-22 is the shortest jet on the list, but it’s surprisingly heavy. At around 38 tonnes maximum takeoff weight, it outweighs the F-15EX, J-20 and Su-57, because it carries its fuel and weapons inside the airframe instead of on external pylons. Production ended in 2012 after 195 were built.
Biggest fighter jets by weight
Rank by maximum takeoff weight and the order changes noticeably:
- MiG-31: 46,200 kg
- Su-34: 45,100 kg
- Su-30MKI: 38,800 kg
- F-22 Raptor: about 38,000 kg
- J-20: about 37,000 kg (est.)
- F-15EX: 36,700 kg
- J-16: 35,000 kg (est.)
- Su-57: 34,000–35,000 kg
- Su-35S: 34,500 kg
- F-14 Tomcat: 33,700 kg
The two Russian heavyweights are about 7 tonnes ahead of everything else. The biggest mover is the F-22, which jumps from tenth by length to fourth by weight.
Biggest fighter jets by wingspan
The F-14 Tomcat wins easily with its wings spread at 19.55 m. The Su-35S comes second at 15.3 m, followed by the Su-34 and the rest of the Flanker family at about 14.7 m.
What is the biggest fighter jet ever built?
The biggest fighter ever to enter service was the Soviet Tupolev Tu-128 “Fiddler”, a long-range interceptor that flew from 1965 to 1990. It was 30.06 m (98 ft 7 in) long, nearly 7 m longer than the Su-34, with a 17.53 m wingspan and a maximum weight of about 43 tonnes.
It was the longest, but not the heaviest: the MiG-31, Su-34 and American F-111 all had higher takeoff weights. If you count prototypes, the record goes to the Lockheed YF-12, an interceptor version of the A-12/SR-71 family, at about 31 m long and 63.5 tonnes.
Why isn’t the MiG-25 on the list?
On length alone, the MiG-25 “Foxbat” (23.82 m) would rank first. We left it out because it’s effectively retired. Russia withdrew its last MiG-25s in 2013, and the few remaining examples, mainly in Algeria, are old and of uncertain flying status. Sources also disagree on its length, with some quoting about 19.75 m.
Which future fighter jets will be the biggest?
China’s Chengdu J-36 is the jet most likely to top this list in the 2030s. It’s a large, tailless, three-engine stealth aircraft first seen flying in December 2024, and at least five prototypes are now in the air. China hasn’t confirmed the program officially, but analyst Bill Sweetman, writing for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, estimates it is about 23 m long, 19 m wide and around 55 tonnes at takeoff. That would make it longer than every fighter in service except the Su-34, and heavier than all of them. Service entry is expected in the early 2030s.
Other new fighters to watch:
- Boeing F-47 (USA): the US Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter. No dimensions have been published, but its required combat radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles points to a large airframe. First flight is targeted for 2028.
- TAI KAAN (Turkey): the production design is about 20.3 m long, which would place it between the J-20 and Su-57. Deliveries are expected around 2029.
- Shenyang J-50 (China): a second Chinese sixth-generation design, reported to be smaller than the J-36.
Why are Russian and Chinese fighter jets so big?
It comes down to geography. Soviet designers had to defend a huge country with long distances between airbases and few aerial refueling tankers, so they built fighters that could carry a lot of fuel internally. That gave the world the MiG-25, MiG-31 and the Su-27 Flanker, and almost every Russian and Chinese jet on this list descends from one of them.
Western air forces relied on tankers and overseas bases instead, so their fighters could stay smaller. That’s now changing. Both the American F-47 and the Chinese J-36 are being designed for long Pacific distances, where tankers are vulnerable, so the next generation of fighters is likely to be bigger across the board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest fighter jet in the world in 2026?
The Sukhoi Su-34 “Fullback” is the longest fighter jet in service in 2026, at 23.34 m (76 ft 7 in). The MiG-31 “Foxhound” is the heaviest, at 46,200 kg maximum takeoff weight.
What is the biggest American fighter jet?
The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is the longest US fighter at 19.45 m (63 ft 10 in). By maximum takeoff weight, the F-22 Raptor (about 38,000 kg) is slightly heavier.
What is the biggest stealth fighter?
The Chengdu J-20 is the biggest stealth fighter in service, at an estimated 21.2 m long. The J-36 prototype is larger, but it isn’t in service yet.
Is the F-22 bigger than the Su-57?
No, the Su-57 is longer (20.1 m vs 18.9 m) and has a wider wingspan (14.1 m vs 13.6 m). But the F-22 is heavier at maximum takeoff weight, at about 38,000 kg against 35,000 kg.
What is the biggest fighter jet ever made?
The Tupolev Tu-128, at 30.06 m long, is the biggest fighter ever to enter service. The YF-12 prototype was slightly larger, at about 31 m, but it never went into production.
Which fighter jet has the widest wingspan?
The F-14 Tomcat, at 19.55 m with its wings fully spread. Iran is the only country still flying it.
The bottom line
If you want one answer, the Su-34 is the biggest fighter jet in the world in 2026 by length, and the MiG-31 is the biggest by weight. Just remember that the ranking is less exact than it looks: sources disagree on the MiG-31’s length by over a metre, every Chinese figure is an estimate, and places three to five are effectively a tie. And within a few years, China’s J-36 is likely to rewrite the list entirely.
Hi, I’m Bruno. I’ve worked in the aviation industry for over 6 years as a B1.1 Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. This blog is where I share insights on aviation and travel globally.