An inlet for an aircraft, missile or other high speed airborne mobile platform, to receive intake air and compress the intake air for delivery to an engine of the mobile platform. The inlet has an array of inlet elements placed in side-by-side arrangement. Each inlet element has a passage for delivery of intake air. The array provides for compact volume and effective aerodynamic performance. The inlet may be mounted for rotation to start the inlet when at a supersonic speed. The inlet is shorter in length than traditional inlets and can be integrated into a wider variety of airframes, or at locations on existing airframes that would be difficult or impossible to integrate a traditional inlet on.