F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II

An Overview of Two Advanced American Aircraft

The United States Air Force is home to the most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft in the world: the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. While both are stealthy, multirole jets designed for modern air combat, each has distinct capabilities and roles that complement one another on the battlefield.

  F-22 Raptor – The Air Superiority Champion

Developed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the F-22 Raptor entered service in 2005 and was built to dominate the skies. It remains unmatched in pure air-to-air combat.

Key Features:

• Top Speed: Mach 2.25+

• Supercruise: Can fly at supersonic speeds without afterburner

• Stealth: Exceptional radar cross-section reduction

• Weapons Loadout:

  • AIM-120 AMRAAM (Beyond-visual-range missiles)

  • AIM-9 Sidewinders

  • 20mm Vulcan cannon

Advantages:

• Superior agility with thrust-vectoring nozzles

• Lightning-fast data fusion and sensor capabilities

• High survivability in contested airspace

Limitation:

• High cost and limited production (only 187 built)

• No export allowed — strictly a U.S.-only asset

• No full strike capabilities (limited ground attack role)

The F-22 was built during the Cold War to ensure American air dominance, and although production ended in 2012, it still leads any dogfight scenario.

  F-35 Lightning II – The Multirole Stealth Workhorse

Also developed by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 Lightning II comes in three variants:

• F-35A (Air Force conventional takeoff and landing)

• F-35B (Marines’ short takeoff/vertical landing)

• F-35C (Navy carrier-based variant)

The F-35 program began in the early 2000s and has become the backbone of U.S. and allied air forces around the world.

Key Features:

• Top Speed: Mach 1.6

• Stealth: Optimized for radar evasion in multiple spectra

• Sensor Fusion: Distributed Aperture System (DAS) & Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS)

• Weapons Loadout:

  • Internal bays for stealth operations

  • External pylons for non-stealth missions

  • Capable of carrying bombs, missiles, and precision munitions

Advantages:

• Designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions

• Networked warfare capabilities — can share targeting data with other platforms

• Operated by 17+ countries

Limitation:

• Not as agile or fast as the F-22

• Early program issues (cost overruns, maintenance complexity) though many have been resolved

The F-35 isn’t just a fighter — it’s a battlefield hub, designed to coordinate strikes, feed intel to allies, and serve as the “quarterback” in multi-domain operations.

🆚 F-22 vs. F-35 – A Complementary Duo

• F-22: Excels at kicking the door open in a contested airspace with air dominance.

• F-35: Excels at holding the door open — conducting strikes, gathering intel, and coordinating joint missions.

Together, they represent the best of American aerospace engineering — with the F-22 reigning as the top dogfighter, and the F-35 leading the charge into the connected battlespace of the future.

Want a side-by-side spec chart or comparison with other jets like the Su-57 or J-20?