20 Fighter Aircraft Nicknames and Their Stories With Origin Countries
Fighter aircraft are more than just machines—they’re icons of power, speed, and precision. While they have official names and designations, many of them are better known by their nicknames, often given by pilots, engineers, or the media. These nicknames reflect the aircraft’s performance, appearance, national pride, or even humor in military culture. Let’s explore the stories behind 20 of the most famous fighter aircraft nicknames.
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| F-22 Raptor |
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Country: United States
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Story: Named after birds of prey, the Raptor represents stealth and lethal superiority in air combat.
Country: United States
Story: Named after birds of prey, the Raptor represents stealth and lethal superiority in air combat.
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| F-35 Lightning II |
✈️ 2. F-35 Lightning II – "Panther" / "Fat Amy"
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Country: United States
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Story: “Panther” for its stealth and agility; “Fat Amy” is an unofficial, humorous name referencing its bulkier design.
Country: United States
Story: “Panther” for its stealth and agility; “Fat Amy” is an unofficial, humorous name referencing its bulkier design.
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| F-16 |
✈️ 3. F-16 Fighting "Falcon"—Vipe"r
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Country: United States
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Story: Nicknamed by pilots due to its resemblance to the Viper spacecraft from Battlestar Galactica.
Country: United States
Story: Nicknamed by pilots due to its resemblance to the Viper spacecraft from Battlestar Galactica.
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| F-15 eagle |
✈️ 4. F-15 Eagle – "Screaming Eagle"
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Country: United States
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Story: Known for its speed and dominance, the name evokes American power and precision.
Country: United States
Story: Known for its speed and dominance, the name evokes American power and precision.
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| F-14 Tomcat |
✈️ 5. F-14 Tomcat – "Turkey"
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Country: United States
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Story: Named “Turkey” by carrier crews for its strange landing posture—but a beast in aerial combat.
Country: United States
Story: Named “Turkey” by carrier crews for its strange landing posture—but a beast in aerial combat.
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| F/A-18 Hornet |
✈️ 6. F/A-18 Hornet – "Bumblebee"
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Country: United States
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Story: Known for defying expectations, like the bumblebee that shouldn’t be able to fly but does.
Country: United States
Story: Known for defying expectations, like the bumblebee that shouldn’t be able to fly but does.
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| F/A-18E/F Super hornet |
✈️ 7. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet – "Rhino"
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Country: United States
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Story: Larger than the original Hornet, its weight and size led to the nickname "Rhino" on carrier decks.
Country: United States
Story: Larger than the original Hornet, its weight and size led to the nickname "Rhino" on carrier decks.
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| F-4 Phantom II |
✈️ 8. F-4 Phantom II – "Double Ugly" / "Rhino"
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Country: United States
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Story: “Double Ugly” due to its blocky design; later called “Rhino” in its final years of service.
Country: United States
Story: “Double Ugly” due to its blocky design; later called “Rhino” in its final years of service.
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| Eurofighter Typhoon |
✈️ 9. Eurofighter Typhoon – "Typhoon"
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Country: Multi-national (UK, Germany, Italy, Spain)
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Story: Named after the WWII Hawker Typhoon, representing power and speed.
Country: Multi-national (UK, Germany, Italy, Spain)
Story: Named after the WWII Hawker Typhoon, representing power and speed.
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| Dassault Rafale |
✈️ 10. Dassault Rafale – "French Beast"
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Country: France
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Story: Fan-given nickname reflecting its deadly agility and multirole versatility.
Country: France
Story: Fan-given nickname reflecting its deadly agility and multirole versatility.
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| Saab JAS 39 |
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Country: Sweden
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Story: “Gripen” means Griffin, a mythical creature symbolizing strength and flight.
Country: Sweden
Story: “Gripen” means Griffin, a mythical creature symbolizing strength and flight.
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| MiG-29 |
✈️ 12. MiG-29 – "Fulcrum"
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Country: Russia (formerly USSR)
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Story: NATO reporting name “Fulcrum” indicates the jet’s central role in Soviet air defense.
Country: Russia (formerly USSR)
Story: NATO reporting name “Fulcrum” indicates the jet’s central role in Soviet air defense.
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| MiG-21 |
✈️ 13. MiG-21 – "Fishbed"
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Country: Russia (formerly USSR)
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Story: A classic Cold War jet, “Fishbed” was its NATO code name despite the odd choice.
Country: Russia (formerly USSR)
Story: A classic Cold War jet, “Fishbed” was its NATO code name despite the odd choice.
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| Mig-31 |
✈️ 14. MiG-31 – "Foxhound"
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Country: Russia
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Story: A fast, long-range interceptor, much like a foxhound hunting at high speeds.
Country: Russia
Story: A fast, long-range interceptor, much like a foxhound hunting at high speeds.
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| Su-27 |
✈️ 15. Su-27 – "Flanker"
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Country: Russia
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Story: NATO called it “Flanker” because of its maneuvering capability and wing position.
Country: Russia
Story: NATO called it “Flanker” because of its maneuvering capability and wing position.
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| Su-30MKI |
✈️ 16. Su-30MKI – "Flanker-H"
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Country: India (licensed build with Russia)
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Story: An advanced variant with Indian upgrades, keeping the “Flanker” family name.
Country: India (licensed build with Russia)
Story: An advanced variant with Indian upgrades, keeping the “Flanker” family name.
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| Su-57 |
✈️ 17. Su-57 – "Felon"
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Country: Russia
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Story: NATO gave this stealth jet the menacing code name “Felon,” matching its shadowy design.
Country: Russia
Story: NATO gave this stealth jet the menacing code name “Felon,” matching its shadowy design.
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| J-10 |
✈️ 18. Chengdu J-10 – "Vigorous Dragon"
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Country: China
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Story: "Meng Long" (猛龙) is its official nickname in Chinese, showing national strength and ferocity.
Country: China
Story: "Meng Long" (猛龙) is its official nickname in Chinese, showing national strength and ferocity.
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| J-20 |
✈️ 19. Chengdu J-20 – "Mighty Dragon"
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Country: China
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Story: “Wei Long” (威龙) is the name that echoes its stealth and elite status in Chinese air power.
Country: China
Story: “Wei Long” (威龙) is the name that echoes its stealth and elite status in Chinese air power.
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✈️ 20. HAL Tejas – "Tejas"
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Country: India
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Story: Means “radiance” or “brilliance” in Sanskrit, a name representing India’s indigenous pride.
Country: India
Story: Means “radiance” or “brilliance” in Sanskrit, a name representing India’s indigenous pride.
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