The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II are both some of the most advanced stealth fighters in the world. Lockheed Martin developed both, and they’re designed for essentially different roles, and their capabilities are very distinct. While many experts love to compare and contrast them, looking to see what is better, attempting such an exercise is not exactly easy.
Though they share some similarities, both their mission profiles and design characteristics, as well as resulting performance, meaning they are uniquely different.
One of the most significant differences between the two stealth fighters is their fuel capacity and resultant range. The F-22 Raptor carries about 18,000 pounds of fuel internally, which translates to a range of just over 1,800 miles without refueling. The F-35, on the other hand, carries different amounts of fuel depending on the variant. The F-35C, the carrier-capable variant operated by the United States Navy, holds about 20,000 pounds of internal fuel, a bit more than the Raptor.
While both aircraft could, in theory, carry external fuel tanks, unless they were stealthily countered and coated with radar-absorbent coatings, they would significantly degrade the jet’s performance. A potential solution to boost range without compromising the jet’s stealth characteristics would be conformal fuel tanks, somewhat akin to the tanks that have been integrated into the F-15s and F-16s in Israeli service, which serve to increase range without much of an impact on drag, and potentially serving to reduce the jet’s radar cross-section.
The F-22 is a dual-engine aircraft, and its engines are thrust-vectoring, greatly improving maneuverability, and the jet’s exhaust design also minimizes its thermal signature. The F-35, on the other hand, is a single-engine aircraft, and though not capable of thrust-vectoring, serrations along the engine’s exhaust nozzle help minimize radar bounce back from the rear aspect.
Both the F-22 and the F-35 utilize a canted V-tail design to minimize radar wave bounce-back. Both also make extensive use of radar-absorbent coatings and materials, as well as chines along the fuselage for stealth purposes.
Payload capacity is one area where the two jets differ rather significantly. The F-22 can carry up to six AIM-120 missiles or munitions with the same footprint in its two internal bays, in addition to a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles along with its 20mm cannon, also internally.
But, the Raptor, as an air superiority fighter, has minimal air-to-ground capabilities, though it can carry some munitions externally on pylons.
The F-35 is, by design, a multi-mission aircraft. Though its weapons bay is somewhat smaller, it can carry a much wider variety of munitions, offering the jet greater flexibility. It can also carry weapons externally, though at significant cost to the jet’s stealth signature.
Imperfect Comparison
The jet’s incredibly different roles are why a direct, one-to-one comparison is not extremely informative. The F-22 Raptor was designed from the outset as an air superiority fighter, intended to dominate enemies in the air through a combination of speed, maneuverability, advanced radar, and, of course, stealth.
F-22 Hawaiian Raptor flies over Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 5, 2019.
Very little expense was spared for the Raptor’s stealth capabilities in particular. The jet’s performance at high altitudes and its ability to supercruise — without engaging afterburners — make it an unparalleled fighter for air-to-air fights against other aircraft.
On the other hand, the F-35 is like a Swiss Army Knife, meant to do a variety of missions reasonably well, including air-to-ground strikes, electronic warfare, recognizance, and close air support, to name a few.
Thanks to its three variants, A, B, and C, it can also integrate seamlessly with the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, allowing it to excel in a wide variety of roles.
About the Author: Caleb Larson
Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.
