Fighter jets have been around since the Messerschmitt Me 262 flew for the German Luftwaffe at the tail end of World War II. To put it simply, a service ceiling is the maximum altitude at which an aircraft, such as a jet fighter, can still climb at a steady, minimum rate. An absolute ceiling is a plane's true upper limit, and it usually isn't much higher than its service ceiling. Military strategic bombers are some of the highest-flying military jets ever put into service, and, for the most part, fighter jets' service ceilings are usually much lower than bombers. Let's look at some fighter jets that stand out for their service ceilings, whether they're impressively high or remarkably low.