Which interceptor was the largest in history?

Short answer

The Tupolev Tu-128 was the largest and heaviest purpose-built interceptor to enter service, and the biggest and heaviest fighter to reach series production. With a maximum weight of 43 tonnes, it was the heaviest fighter ever to enter service. It measured 30.06 m long with a 17.53 m wingspan.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which interceptor was the largest in history?

Tupolev Tu-128 0 redAlan Wilson (CC BY SA), vía commons

A fighter with bomber-sized dimensions

The Tupolev Tu-128 was the largest and heaviest purpose-built interceptor ever to enter service. It was also the largest and heaviest fighter to reach series production. Its maximum weight of 43 tonnes made it the heaviest fighter ever to enter service. In figures, it measured 30.06 m in length, 17.53 m in wingspan and 7.15 m in height. It was thus larger and heavier than many of the bombers it was meant to shoot down.

Born from an unsuccessful bomber

Work began in 1958 based on a single existing prototype of the Tu-98, an unsuccessful supersonic bomber. The new interceptor grew out of that abandoned Tu-98 "Backfin".

Four missiles under the wings

The armament consisted of four Bisnovat R-4 air-to-air missiles mounted on four underwing pylons. Two of these were radar-guided R-4Rs and the other two were infrared-guided R-4Ts.