Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II jets in flight. (AP)

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

A U.S. Air Force Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. (AP)

General Dynamics F-111

An F-111 fighter bomber performs a dump and burn. (AP)

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

A U.S. Air Force Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird jet taxis on the runway. (AP)

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet

This U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet is not breaking the sound barrier here. That white cloud is just water vapor, and appears when fighters fly over water. (AP)

McDonnell Douglas F-15

Santa Claus rides in the cockpit of a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jet. (AP)

Sukhoi S-37

A Russian S-37 Berkut Golden Eagle fighter jet in flight. (AP)

Northrop YF-23

A YF-23 Advanced Tactical Fighter jet, in flight. The YF-23 lost out to the F-22 Raptor in the competition for America's newest fighter jet. (AP)

Lockheed Martin X-35B

Lockheed Martin X-35B Joint Strike Fighter jet demonstrates the conversion to STOVL mode. (AP)

Boeing X-32B

Boeing X-32B Joint Strike Fighter jet demonstrator completes its first vertical landing. This plane lost the flyoff competition to the F-35. (AP)

McDonnell Douglas F/A-22

F/A-22 Raptor Advanced Tactical Fighter jet in flight. (AP)

Lockheed Martin X-35B

A Lockheed Martin X-35B Joint Strike Fighter jet demonstrator in hover mode. (AP)

Lockheed F-117

A U.S. Air Force F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter jet lands after a mission over Iraq. (AP)

Lockheed F-117

A U.S. Air Force F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter jet in flight over Persian Gulf. (AP)

AV-8b Harrier Jet

A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jet lands on The Mall near the U.S. Capitol. (AP)

Boeing Bird of Prey

A Boeing Bird of Prey stealth technology jet demonstrator in flight. (AP)

Northrop Grumman X-47B

Northrop Grumman Pegasus X-47B naval unmanned combat aircraft on carrier flight deck in an artist conception. (AP)

Boeing Bird of Prey

A Boeing Bird of Prey stealth technology jet demonstrator in flight. (AP)

Northrop Grumman Quiet Supersonic Platform

Northrop Grumman Quiet Supersonic Platform long-range cruise jet in flight. (AP)

Grumman F-14

A flight deck member passes in front of U.S. Navy F-14D Tomcat fighter jet, aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier as sun rises in the Arabian Gulf. (AP)