Though the Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter jet hasn't officially been a part ... and had no control over the Tomcat's iconic folding wings. Instead, they largely functioned using the on-board Standard ...

Not every experimental jet fighter made by the U.S. military would go on to reach production, for any number of reasons.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II hit full-rate production last year. Today, over 150 fighter jets are being made annually.