Sustained high speed flight

Hi all,

I’m currently researching for a potential novel, a pivotal part of which requires the main character to be flown from California to Alaska (Edwards to Elmendorf most likely) absolutely as fast as possible. As I’m striving for factual accuracy and a sense of realism I was wondering if anybody here could assist me with this.

Any aircraft involved needs to be essentially ‘off the shelf’, so aircraft that are hypothetical, proposed or indeed no longer in service (the two-seat SR-71 would probably have been ideal otherwise) aren’t going to work, but any current military or commerical aircraft that would reasonably be available in the area might.

In context, the severity and importance of the crisis means time is critical and as such the US government may well be willing to push an aircraft well beyond its normal limits if it means the main character can be safely and swiftly delivered to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, so limitations such as how long an aircraft can stay supersonic (if indeed any supersonic aircraft are suitable) or trying to reduce engine wear can be stretched.

Would I be able to have my character put into the rear seat of, say, an F-15E or F-16D (which would nicely underscore the urgency and desperation of the situation) or would technical limitations make a more conventional civilian aircraft capable of high subsonic flight, maybe a Cessna Citation X, more suitable?

Any and all answers appreciated.