The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II are both 5th generation fighter jets developed by Lockheed Martin, but they were designed with different missions and capabilities in mind. Here’s a breakdown of their key differences, helping to compare their strengths and weaknesses across various categories:
1. Purpose and Role
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 was developed primarily as an air superiority fighter, focusing on establishing dominance in the skies by defeating enemy aircraft. Its design is centered around stealth, supercruise (ability to fly at supersonic speeds without afterburners), and maneuverability. The F-22 is highly optimized for dogfighting and counter-air missions.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 is a multirole fighter designed for a broad range of missions, including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, intelligence gathering, and close air support. The F-35 comes in three variants: F-35A (conventional takeoff and landing), F-35B (short takeoff and vertical landing), and F-35C (carrier-based). It is built to be versatile and operate in diverse environments, from combat theaters to close support missions.
2. Stealth and Low Observability
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F-22 Raptor:
- Excellent stealth design, optimized primarily for air-to-air missions. Its low radar cross-section (RCS) makes it difficult to detect by enemy radar, and it has a specialized shape that minimizes its heat signature.
- Its stealth is achieved through the combination of advanced shaping and coating that reduces both radar and infrared signatures.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 has stealth capabilities, but it’s designed to be stealthy in a broader range of missions. While it has great low-observable features, including advanced radar-absorbing materials and an angular design, the F-35 is not quite as stealthy as the F-22 in terms of radar cross-section (due to its broader mission set and larger payload capacity).
3. Speed and Maneuverability
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 is one of the fastest and most maneuverable aircraft in the world. It can achieve speeds of over Mach 2 (around 1,500 mph) and has supercruise capability, which allows it to fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners, making it more efficient in air combat.
- The F-22 is designed with an emphasis on agility and dogfighting capabilities, which allows it to outmaneuver most enemy aircraft in a one-on-one combat scenario.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35, while also fast and maneuverable, is not designed with the same emphasis on supercruise or high-speed aerial combat. It has a top speed of about Mach 1.6 (around 1,200 mph)—slower than the F-22, but still supersonic. Its design focuses more on versatility and multirole capabilities rather than air superiority.
4. Avionics and Sensor Suite
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 is equipped with advanced avionics and a highly integrated sensor suite, including the AN/APG-77 radar, which provides long-range detection and tracking capabilities. It also features an integrated electronic warfare system to help avoid detection and counter enemy radar systems.
- The F-22 has a better radar range and is optimized for air-to-air combat, detecting enemy aircraft before being detected itself.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 is equipped with an even more advanced suite of sensors, including the AN/APG-81 radar (a significant step forward in radar technology), an advanced infrared targeting system (IRST), and the Distributed Aperture System (DAS), which provides 360-degree situational awareness.
- The F-35 also has enhanced data fusion, where all its sensors feed into a central system to give the pilot a clearer picture of the battlefield, making it ideal for multirole missions that require detailed targeting and awareness of the environment.
5. Weaponry and Payload
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22’s primary role is air superiority, and it is designed to carry air-to-air missiles, like the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder. It can carry bombs in internal bays to maintain stealth during strikes, but its weapon options are more limited for ground attacks.
- The F-22’s internal weapons bays allow it to carry six air-to-air missiles (two on wing-mounted hardpoints), which help it maintain a stealth profile while performing its role in air combat.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 is more versatile when it comes to weapons. It can carry a wide range of munitions, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground bombs, and precision-guided munitions. Its internal weapon bays (for stealthy operations) can carry two bombs or four air-to-air missiles, and it has external hardpoints that allow for additional weaponry, compromising stealth for payload capacity.
- The F-35 is more suited for multirole operations, including close air support, intelligence gathering, and precision strikes.
6. Cost and Production
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 is a highly specialized aircraft, and as such, it has a significantly higher unit cost. Originally, it was priced at about $150 million per aircraft, though the cost has decreased slightly due to later production and efficiencies.
- Due to its high cost and the fact that the U.S. Air Force only built about 187 F-22s, production was limited, with the aircraft now out of production since 2009.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 is designed to be more affordable and available for a larger number of allied nations. The unit cost of the F-35 varies based on the model, with the F-35A (conventional takeoff and landing) costing about $80 million per unit, making it significantly less expensive than the F-22.
- As of now, over 700 F-35s have been delivered worldwide, and production continues, with plans to deliver thousands of units over the coming years to the U.S. and its allies.
7. Operational Use
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 has primarily been used for air superiority missions. It has not seen extensive combat, mainly due to its specialized nature. However, it has been used in counter-air operations and defensive missions in various regions, including the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35 is already in operational use worldwide with the U.S. and multiple allied nations, and has already been deployed in various conflicts and training exercises. It is a highly deployable multirole fighter that is capable of being used for a variety of tasks, from close air support to deep strike missions to intelligence gathering.
8. Survivability and Stealth in Combat
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F-22 Raptor:
- The F-22 is likely the most stealthy and survivable aircraft in air-to-air combat, designed to defeat enemy aircraft before they can even detect the F-22. Its superior speed, maneuverability, and radar-evading technologies give it a significant edge in contested environments.
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F-35 Lightning II:
- The F-35, while stealthy, is designed for a broader range of operations, which means its stealth features are not quite as extreme as the F-22. However, it has other tools that give it excellent survivability in a multirole combat environment, including its advanced sensor suite and situational awareness.
Conclusion: F-22 Raptor vs. F-35 Lightning II
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The F-22 excels in air superiority and high-speed combat, with unmatched maneuverability, stealth, and speed. However, its role is more limited to air-to-air combat, and its high cost and limited production restrict its numbers.
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The F-35, on the other hand, is a multirole powerhouse, ideal for a wide range of missions including air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and intelligence gathering. It is more affordable, with larger production numbers, and is becoming the backbone of many air forces around the world.
Each fighter has its strengths, and the F-22 is the best choice for air superiority, while the F-35 offers unmatched versatility and is designed for the modern multirole battlefield.
