Aerial combat dates back to World War I, but it was the introduction of the jet fighter that truly transformed this unique form of battle. Engineers around the world continue to improve the jet's speed and maneuverability.
American jet fighters usually carry the designation "A" and "F" before their call numbers. The "A," as in the A-10, symbolizes attack and the "F," such as the F-16, stands for fighter.
The Harrier "jump jet" can take off and land vertically.
The Russians were the first to introduce angled jet wings, called the swept-wing design. This allows a jet fighter to fly the speed the sound without risking damage to its infrastructure.
The fastest jet in the world is the SR-71 Blackbird, which flies more than three times the speed of sound at 2,500 mph.
The first functional jet was built by the Germans and flew combat missions during the last two years of World War II; its name was the Messerschmitt Me 262.
