F-22 Raptor vs F-35 Lightning II: How Do They Compare?

The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II are the only two operational 5th generation stealth fighters in the United States arsenal. Though both were built by Lockheed Martin and share certain stealth technologies, they were designed for fundamentally different missions. The F-22 is a dedicated air superiority fighter — the most capable dogfighter ever built — while the F-35 is a versatile multirole strike fighter designed to replace a half-dozen legacy platforms across three service branches and over a dozen allied nations.

Understanding the differences between these two aircraft is essential for anyone interested in modern air combat, defense procurement, or the future of tactical aviation.

Side-by-Side Specifications

Design Philosophy: Air Superiority vs Multirole

The F-22 Raptor emerged from the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program of the 1980s, which sought to replace the F-15 Eagle with a fighter that could dominate any adversary in air-to-air combat while maintaining low observability. Every design decision on the F-22 — from its twin-engine layout and thrust vectoring nozzles to its supercruise capability — was optimized for the air superiority mission. The result is an aircraft that can detect, engage, and destroy enemy fighters at ranges where the adversary has no idea the Raptor is there.

The F-35, by contrast, was born from the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which aimed to produce a single affordable airframe that could replace the F-16, A-10, F/A-18C/D, and AV-8B Harrier across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The F-35 was designed from the start as a sensor-rich, networked strike fighter — a flying sensor node that can find and destroy ground targets, contribute to the kill chain, and hold its own in air combat, all while remaining affordable enough to purchase in large numbers.

"The F-22 kicks down the door; the F-35 moves in and owns the house." — Common USAF analogy describing how the two fighters complement each other in combat.

Stealth Characteristics

Both aircraft are classified as low-observable (LO) or "stealth" platforms, but their radar cross-section (RCS) profiles differ significantly:

• F-22 Raptor: Designed with all-aspect stealth as a top priority. The F-22's RCS is estimated at approximately 0.0001 m² from the frontal aspect — roughly the radar signature of a steel marble. Its canted vertical stabilizers, blended fuselage, serpentine engine inlets, and radar-absorbent materials (RAM) coatings provide exceptional stealth from virtually all angles. The F-22 can engage enemy fighters without ever being detected.
• F-35 Lightning II: Also a genuine stealth aircraft, with an estimated frontal RCS of approximately 0.001 m² — about the size of a golf ball on radar. While this is an order of magnitude larger than the F-22, it still represents a dramatic improvement over legacy 4th generation fighters. The F-35's stealth is heavily optimized for the frontal aspect, reflecting its primary mission of penetrating enemy air defenses to strike ground targets.

In practical terms, both aircraft are effectively invisible to most legacy air defense radars at operationally relevant ranges. The F-22's superior all-aspect stealth gives it an edge in the air superiority role, where threats can come from any direction during a dogfight. The F-35's stealth profile is optimized for ingress toward a target — flying into enemy territory, dropping ordnance, and flying back out.

Avionics and Sensors

While the F-22 was revolutionary when it entered service in 2005, the F-35 benefits from two decades of additional development in sensor fusion and computing power:

• F-22 Radar: AN/APG-77 AESA radar — one of the first active electronically scanned array radars fitted to a fighter. Excellent detection range and electronic warfare capabilities. Upgrades have added the APG-77(V)1 with enhanced ground-mapping modes.
• F-35 Radar: AN/APG-81 AESA radar — a newer-generation AESA with greater bandwidth, advanced electronic attack capabilities, and fully integrated air-to-air and air-to-ground modes. Widely considered the most capable fighter radar in production.

The F-35's most significant advantage is its AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) — six infrared cameras mounted around the airframe that provide a seamless 360-degree spherical picture of the battlespace. The DAS can detect and track incoming missiles, aircraft, and even ground targets in all directions simultaneously. Combined with the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) built into the chin of the aircraft, the F-35 has situational awareness that no other fighter can match.

The F-35's helmet-mounted display allows the pilot to "look through" the aircraft in any direction, seeing sensor imagery projected onto the visor. The F-22 lacks an integrated helmet-mounted cueing system, though upgrades are being considered.

Armament and Payload

In stealth configuration (weapons carried internally only), the two fighters carry different standard loadouts:

F-22 Raptor — Air-to-Air Configuration

• 6 × AIM-120 AMRAAM (main weapons bay)
• 2 × AIM-9M/X Sidewinder (side bays)
• 480 rounds of 20 mm ammunition

F-35A Lightning II — Multirole Configuration

• 4 × AIM-120 AMRAAM or 2 × AIM-120 + 2 × GBU-31 JDAM (internal bays)
• 182 rounds of 25 mm ammunition
• Up to 8,160 kg (18,000 lb) on 6 external pylons (non-stealth "beast mode")

The F-22 carries more air-to-air missiles internally and has a higher-capacity gun with a faster rate of fire. When configured for the air superiority mission, the Raptor is unmatched. The F-35, however, is far more versatile — its internal bays can accommodate a mix of air-to-air missiles and precision-guided bombs, and its "beast mode" external loadout can carry a staggering array of ordnance for missions where stealth is not required.

Cost Comparison

Cost has been one of the most contentious aspects of both programs:

The F-22 is significantly more expensive per aircraft, partly because only 187 operational examples were built — the original plan called for 750. Congress capped production in 2009, citing high costs and the perceived absence of a peer air threat at the time. The production line was shut down, and restarting it has been estimated at $50 billion or more.

The F-35's unit cost has dropped dramatically as production has scaled up, falling from over $200 million per aircraft in early lots to approximately $80 million for the F-35A in recent production lots. However, the F-35 program's total lifecycle cost — including decades of operations, maintenance, and upgrades for thousands of aircraft — makes it the most expensive weapons program in history.

Combat Roles and Complementary Missions

The F-22 and F-35 were never intended to compete with each other. They are designed to work together as part of an integrated force package:

• F-22 — "Day One" Air Dominance: In a major conflict, F-22s would fly first, sweeping the skies of enemy fighters and establishing air superiority. Their supercruise capability lets them reach the battlespace quickly without burning through fuel in afterburner. Their superior stealth and kinematic performance make them the apex predator in air combat.
• F-35 — Persistent Strike and ISR: Once the F-22s have established air dominance, F-35s move in to conduct deep strike missions, suppress enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD), provide close air support, and act as networked sensor nodes for the entire force. The F-35's longer combat radius and extensive ground-attack capability make it ideal for these roles.
• F-35 as "Quarterback": The F-35's advanced sensor fusion and data-linking capabilities allow it to act as an airborne command node, sharing targeting information with other aircraft, ships, and ground forces in real time. This networking capability may be the F-35's most significant contribution to modern warfare.

The F-22 operates exclusively with the US Air Force and cannot be exported due to the Obey Amendment, which prohibits foreign sales to protect its sensitive stealth and avionics technology. The F-35, in contrast, is operated by over 20 nations, making it the backbone of allied tactical aviation for decades to come.

Which Fighter Is "Better"?

The question of which aircraft is "better" depends entirely on the mission:

• Air-to-air combat: The F-22 wins decisively. In exercises, a single F-22 has reportedly achieved kill ratios of 108:0 against 4th generation fighters. Its combination of supercruise, thrust vectoring, superior stealth, and high-altitude performance makes it the most lethal air superiority fighter ever built. Even against the F-35, the Raptor holds significant advantages in kinematic performance and all-aspect stealth.
• Ground attack and multirole: The F-35 wins. It carries a wider variety of air-to-ground ordnance, has a longer combat radius, features more advanced sensor fusion for ground targeting, and can operate from aircraft carriers (F-35C) and austere forward bases (F-35B). The F-22 has limited air-to-ground capability that has been slowly expanded but remains secondary.
• Affordability and availability: The F-35 wins by a wide margin. At roughly half the cost per aircraft and half the cost per flight hour, the F-35 can be purchased and sustained in far greater numbers. With only 187 F-22s ever built and no possibility of new production, the Raptor fleet is small and irreplaceable.
• Allied interoperability: The F-35 wins. As the common fighter platform for NATO and Pacific allies, the F-35 enables seamless coalition operations. The F-22 cannot be exported and operates only within US forces.

Verdict

The F-22 Raptor is the undisputed king of air superiority — no fighter currently in service anywhere in the world can match it in a one-on-one engagement. Its speed, stealth, and agility were designed for a single purpose, and it executes that purpose flawlessly.

The F-35 Lightning II is the more strategically important aircraft. Its versatility, advanced sensors, networked capabilities, and massive production numbers make it the backbone of Western airpower for the next four decades. The F-35 does many things very well; the F-22 does one thing perfectly.

Ultimately, these are not competitors but complementary systems. The F-22 establishes air dominance so the F-35 can exploit it. Together, they form the most capable tactical fighter force the world has ever seen. The real question is not which aircraft is better, but whether the 187 Raptors in existence are enough to fulfill the air superiority mission in a world of rapidly advancing threats from China and Russia — a question that keeps defense planners up at night.