What’s cooler than a fighter jet? Well, not much… Except a fighter jet with an epic paint job!
While not very common, there are some fighters that take on a very different look than the ordinary gray-ish exterior finish. These select aircraft are transformed into a canvas filled with captivating patterns, graphics, and artwork.
Before writing this article, I was really only familiar with the best commercial airline liveries. Therefore, coming up with this list took a bit of research… Well, I scoured the internet and found some of the coolest military fighter jet designs to exist. Eventually, I compiled 23 of my favorites into this post!
I was genuinely surprised by these liveries, as many of them seemed to be straight out of a videogame or Adobe Photoshop. But I assure you, they are real!
In this article, you’ll see a vast array of liveries from different eras, militaries, and manufacturers. While I undoubtedly missed a few, here’s a list of the top fighter liveries from all across the globe!
Source: Bernardo Fernandez
Kicking off the best fighter jet liveries is this Dassault Rafale M from the French Navy’s Flottille 11F squadron. White and black stripes cover the entire outside, with bright red eyes positioned on the rear wings. If you’re lucky enough to catch it in a steep climb or tilted on its side, you can get the full effect of its menacing stare.
As you’ll see, the French love their military liveries! You could argue they have the best-looking aircraft fleet in the world - but keep reading to decide for yourself!
Source: Airwolfhound
This Su-27P1M Flanker sporting a blue pixel camo demonstrated its capabilities during a demo at the 2018 Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in the United Kingdom.
Colonel Oleksandr "Grey Wolf" Oksanchenko, who was the Su-27 display pilot from 2013-2018, unfortunately lost his life on February 25, 2022 during the war in Ukraine after his jet was shot down by Russian military. He was posthumously awarded the title of “Hero of Ukraine” by President Zelensky.
Source: Wikimedia
Here is a Eurofighter Typhoon of the 74th Tactical Air Force Wing of the German Air Force. Registered under 31+00, this "Ghost Tiger" livery could be viewed at the 2018 NATO Tiger Meet.
The NATO Tiger Meet (or NATO Tiger Association) is an annual military exercise and gathering of NATO alliance squadrons with tiger-themed fighter jet liveries. This informal association provides an opportunity for NATO air crew to train together, exchange tactics, and build camaraderie. The origin of the NATO Tiger Association dates back to 1961, when a group of fighter squadrons with tiger mascots decided to participate in joint training exercises.
Source: Airwolfhound
This is a Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon from the Hellenic Air Force Demo Team.
Commonly referred to as “Zeus”, this F-16 (registration 523 | XK-24) was seen at the 2016 RIAT held at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. This jet livery exhibits a Greek flag and tons of lightning bolts - which pay tribute to the mythological god of sky and thunder in ancient Greek religion.
Source: Alan Wilson
This Dutch F-16AM formerly belonged to 313 Squadron based at Volkel AB. The NATO tiger unit operated the F-16 Fighting Falcon prior to its temporary disbandment in December 2020. Reactivated in 2022, the squadron now operates with an upgraded fleet of F-35s.
Source: Air Nation Guard
An F-15 assigned to California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing features a very patriotic livery from nose to tail. The Heritage fighter jet debuted its American flag themed paint scheme during a test flight on October 21st, 2022.
Source: Wilson Hui
Another national pride symbol is this Canada 150 F-18, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the country’s Confederation. The unveiling took place in April of 2017 at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta.
The livery uses a bright red paint and showcases three Canada 150 maple leaf symbols - one across the wings and two on the vertical stabilizers.
Source: Rob Schleiffert
Another NATO Tiger Meet jet, this Dassault Mirage livery was showcased back in 2011 at the Cambrai base in France.
You can observe the Nato Tiger Meet patch on the tail, and of course the giant tiger running down the fuselage. The paws painted on the drop tanks are a pretty clever touch!
Source: bt.aviation
Nicknamed “Vampires”, VX-9 is an air test and evaluation squadron stationed at NAWS China Lake, California. They use these F/A-18s for operational testing and evaluation of weapons and electronic systems prior to fleet implementation. Here, you can see the black accents, white stars, and the VX-9 bat on the tailfin.
Source: Dave Smith
This French Armee de l'air Dassault Rafale C was displayed during RIAT 2018 at RAF Fairford. The top and undercarriage are coated in black with fiery red accents. While it is not the most intricate livery, it’s still very eye-catching.
Source: Jakub Hałun
Belgium’s “Dream Viper” F-16 was captured at the Radom Air Show 2023, featuring a large snake’s head and scale underbelly. This livery tours across Europe with the Belgian Air Force F-16 Solo Display Team. The reptile-inspired design was created by Aviation Commander Steven De Vries with graphic contribution from Nicolas Deboeck.
Source: Rob Schleiffert
Here’s a Panavia Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike) of the Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 51. Introduced in 1979, this twin engine fighter-bomber was a joint project between Germany, Italy, and the UK. Registration 4451 has a black panther on its tail, and an orange tiger across the top of its wings.
Source: Wikimedia
This AMX celebrates 75 years of the 2 Stormo and 20,000 flying hours for the 14 Gruppo (both are wings of the Italian Air Force. You can see the large 75 below the cockpit window, and the 20,000 written at the top of the tail. The knight on the tailfin is from the emblem of the 8 Gruppo, which was formerly a part of 2 Stormo. Moreover, the symbol is derived from the poem 'Breus', by Giovanni Pascoli, which tells the story of a wandering knight.
Source: bt.aviation
The Blue Angels, the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron, adopted their iconic blue and gold paint scheme in 1946. The blue represents the sky and the Navy's primary color, while the gold signifies excellence and professionalism.
Originally flying Grumman F6F Hellcats, the team transitioned to the sleeker and faster F8F Bearcats in 1949. Over the years, the Blue Angels flew various aircraft including the F-4 Phantom and A-4 Skyhawk. Nowadays, the Blue Angels continue to showcase their dazzling maneuvers in the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet.
Source: bt.aviation
This NorthropT-38 Talon has been repainted to an earlier style camouflage from a trio of special schemes for the supersonic jet trainer. The blue camouflage version consists of a combination of light and dark bluish tones that help the aircraft blend into the sky and reduce its visibility from the ground.
Source: Wikimedia
The RAF Typhoon Display team operates a patriotic Eurofighter that flies with the UK flag.
In September of 2021, this very Typhoon (callsign “Blackjack”) paid tribute to the heroic Battle of Britain - a pivotal military campaign during World War 2. The Union Fag jet flew over the White Cliffs of the southern British coastline, the location where the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy defended against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany.
Source: Wikimedia
Another spectacle from the French military is the Dassault Rafale Tiger livery. This shot was taken at the Spanish A Coruña Air Show in the summer of 2014. This design was extremely rare to spot, as it was only on display for one season.
Source: Anna Zvereva
The Sukhoi SU-57 is a fifth generation stealth jet primarily operated by Russia. This model is suited in a pixel camouflage, which is useful for a number of reasons. Some research shows that a digital pattern like the one on this SU-57 breaks up the outline of the aircraft, making it much harder to recognise and trace.
Source: bt.aviation
This T-38 Talon wears a black splinter camo and has a skull and bones emblem on the tail. Originally introduced in the early 1960s, the T-38 Talon remains one of the oldest operational aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory, highlighting its durability and adaptability. What makes this livery especially cool is the red light that perfectly aligns with the left eye of the skull.
Source: Alan Wilson
Here’s yet another French Air Force livery, this one also from the NATO Tiger Meets. Operated by ECE 01/30 squadron, the olive-colored Rafale depicts 2 white tigers carrying yellow and red ribbons in their mouths.
Source: bt.aviation
The F-16 Viper Demo Team got a fresh new paint job on their primary demonstration aircraft back in 2020. It’s marked with black scales across the fuselage, wings, and tail. If you look closely at the head of the snake, you can see its intimidating yellow eyes.The signature yellow color is also used for the tail number and other small markings.
Source: Łukasz Golowanow
The Slovakian MiG debuted the HyperStealth Cloudcam Pattern, which was originally developed to reduce the visibility of cellular towers in the United States. On this fighter jet, the digital camouflage pattern effectively conceals from ground, sea, overcast, as well as blue sky backgrounds. The paint scheme also features a false canopy underneath, which is meant to deceive enemies during dogfights.
Source: bt.aviation
Lastly, we have the US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron - the Thunderbirds. These F-16s are recognizable by their red, white, and blue color scheme. This patriotic livery was chosen back in 1953 to represent excellence in the form of public service and demonstrate unity as the jets toured around the world. Each Thunderbirds aircraft is numbered from 1 to 6, with the number being displayed towards the front of the fuselage.
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