Modern fighter jets can fly supersonic without using afterburners

For decades, hitting supersonic speeds required afterburners—a process that essentially dumps raw fuel into a jet's exhaust to create a massive, wasteful burst of power. Modern jets like the Rafale have moved past this through 'supercruise,' using precise engine geometry and sleek delta wings to slice through the sound barrier at Mach 1.2 using normal thrust. This allows a pilot to maintain high speeds for hours rather than minutes, fundamentally changing how air battles are fought.