Starfighters Space Inc is a commercial aerospace company based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with an additional base of operations at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas, and has a fleet of seven F-104 Fighter jets that are capable of flying MACH 2+... Show more
Starfighters Space, Inc. (FJET) is a commercial aerospace and defense company that owns and operates one of the few privately held fleets of flight-ready Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic jets in the United States. Investors follow the company because it occupies an unusual niche: rather than building spacecraft or launch vehicles from scratch, it uses supersonic aircraft as a platform for pilot training, research flights, and, through its "STARLAUNCH" program, air-launching rockets carrying payloads toward suborbital space.
Starfighters Space, Inc. was incorporated in the State of Delaware on September 6, 2022. The company operates primarily from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a second base of operations at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas. Its registered office is located in Dover, Delaware. The company completed its initial public offering and began trading on NYSE American under the symbol FJET on December 18, 2025.
At the center of the business is a fleet of seven F-104 fighter jets capable of flying at speeds above Mach 2. The Lockheed F-104 is a supersonic aircraft originally developed for the United States Armed Forces, and Starfighters operates these aircraft for commercial and government customers. The company was founded by Rick Svetkoff, who later served as its president and chief executive officer before departing the role; Timothy A. Franta became chief executive officer in February 2026.
Starfighters organizes its operations around a combination of established flight services and newer space-access initiatives. Its core service categories include:
The company has flown revenue-generating missions for organizations including Lockheed Martin, Space Florida, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. It also earns ancillary income from contracts involving pilot training and equipment testing. Its longer-term growth plan centers on the STARLAUNCH program, under which it is pursuing a launch waiver and license to air-launch rockets from its jets into suborbital space, with a stated intention to eventually develop infrastructure for orbital launches.
Importantly, as of its most recent disclosures, Starfighters had not yet commenced what it describes as its principal operations, meaning its space-launch business remains in a development and regulatory-approval phase rather than a mature commercial activity.
Starfighters occupies a distinct position within the aerospace and defense sector. It is a smaller-cap operator in an industry dominated by large, well-capitalized prime contractors and a growing field of venture-backed space companies. Its differentiation comes from owning a flying fleet of supersonic aircraft today, which allows it to offer real flight services, hypersonic testing, and a potential air-launch capability that few publicly traded peers can match at comparable scale.
The company's financial profile reflects its early stage. It has reported net losses, negative earnings per share, and a relatively small market capitalization for an aerospace concern. Because its flagship space-launch ambitions are still in development, its current revenue base is comparatively modest relative to established aerospace firms.
Investor interest in FJET centers on its exposure to several long-term aerospace themes, including commercial spaceflight, hypersonic research, and government demand for specialized flight-testing and training services. The company's existing supersonic fleet and its relationships with government and defense customers give it a tangible operational foundation, while the STARLAUNCH program offers an avenue into the emerging suborbital and orbital launch market. Its position within NASA's Kennedy Space Center ecosystem and its Texas operations also place it close to a concentrated hub of aerospace activity.
As a newly public company, FJET also attracts attention as a small-cap aerospace name with a distinctive, asset-backed story. However, investors generally weigh this thematic appeal against the company's limited operating history and unproven launch economics.
There are several factors investors should understand before considering FJET. As a newly public company, it faces the compliance, reporting, and operational burdens that come with a recent listing, alongside a limited track record as a publicly traded entity. Its principal space-launch operations had not yet commenced as of its latest filings, meaning future revenue depends heavily on obtaining regulatory approvals such as launch waivers and licenses, and on successfully developing and scaling its STARLAUNCH program.
The business also carries meaningful operational risks. It relies on a small fleet of aging, specialized aircraft, and its ability to keep those aircraft flying depends on parts and suppliers that may be limited or difficult to source. The company has noted historical dependence on key personnel, and the departure of its founder and former CEO introduces execution uncertainty. Financially, the company has reported losses, and its small size can contribute to higher share-price volatility and limited liquidity compared with larger aerospace firms.
Finally, Starfighters operates in a competitive industry that includes well-funded space and defense companies, and it is subject to macroeconomic, regulatory, and government-contract dynamics that can affect demand for its services.
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Starfighters Space, Inc. is a distinctive early-stage aerospace company that combines an operating fleet of supersonic F-104 aircraft with ambitions to enter the suborbital and orbital launch market through its STARLAUNCH program. Its asset-backed flight services and government relationships set it apart from many pre-revenue space startups, while its small scale, recent public listing, and development-stage launch business distinguish it from established defense contractors. For investors, FJET represents a high-risk, high-attention exposure to the commercial space and hypersonics themes, and its long-term relevance will likely depend on its ability to convert its launch ambitions into sustained, revenue-generating operations.
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Industry AerospaceDefense