{"slug":"f35-vs-f22","question":"F-35 Lightning II vs F-22 Raptor","answer":"The F-22 Raptor is a pure air-superiority fighter with superior speed (Mach 2.25 vs Mach 1.6) and maneuverability, while the F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role combat aircraft designed for versatility across air, ground, and naval missions with advanced sensor fusion and lower operational costs.","answer_curated":true,"verdict":"The F-22 Raptor dominates in pure air-superiority scenarios with unmatched speed, acceleration, and dogfighting capability, making it the premier air dominance fighter. The F-35 Lightning II excels as a multi-role platform with superior sensor fusion, operational flexibility, and international interoperability at lower cost. Choose the F-22 if air-to-air supremacy and supercruise capability are priorities; choose the F-35 if mission versatility, allied coordination, and long-term sustainment costs matter more.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Primary Mission","winner":"a","entityAValue":"Multi-role (air combat, ground attack, naval support, electronic warfare)","entityBValue":"Air-superiority fighter"},{"label":"Maximum Speed","winner":"b","entityAValue":"Mach 1.6 (1,190 mph)","entityBValue":"Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph)"},{"label":"Stealth Technology","winner":"tie","entityAValue":"5th generation with sensor fusion and integrated avionics","entityBValue":"5th generation optimized for frontal aspect stealth"},{"label":"Combat Radius","winner":"a","entityAValue":"545 nautical miles (air-to-air)","entityBValue":"410 nautical miles"},{"label":"Unit Cost (2024)","winner":"a","entityAValue":"$131 million (flyaway cost)","entityBValue":"$361 million (program acquisition cost)"}],"winner":{"slug":"f-35-lightning-ii","name":"F-35 Lightning II"},"confidence":"high","entities":[{"name":"F-35 Lightning II","slug":"f-35-lightning-ii","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/f-35-lightning-ii","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/f-35-lightning-ii"},{"name":"F-22 Raptor","slug":"f-22-raptor","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/f-22-raptor","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/f-22-raptor"}],"faqs":[{"question":"Why is the F-22 so much more expensive than the F-35?","answer":"The F-22's $361M acquisition cost reflects its development in the 1990s-2000s with cutting-edge air-superiority technology, limited production (187 aircraft total), and stealth optimized primarily for frontal aspects against advanced air threats. The F-35's lower unit cost benefits from larger intended production runs (3,000+ planned), multi-role design spreading development across multiple mission sets, and later manufacturing optimization. F-22's per-unit cost also includes classified technology integration unavailable for export."},{"question":"Which fighter would win in a dogfight?","answer":"The F-22 has significant advantages in close-range combat due to Mach 2.25 speed (vs Mach 1.6), supercruise capability for sustained energy advantage, and superior radar range (200+ nm vs 150+ nm). However, modern air combat rarely reaches dogfight range; the F-35's sensor fusion and networked advantages could detect and engage targets beyond visual range before a dogfight occurs. In a pure 1v1 subsonic dogfight, the F-22's 9g maneuverability and supercruise provide decisive advantage."},{"question":"Can allied countries buy the F-22?","answer":"No. The F-22 is restricted to U.S. use only under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) due to classified stealth and weapons technology. Congress banned foreign sales in 1998. By contrast, the F-35 was specifically designed as an international program with 19 allied nations operating or committed to operate it, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea, enabling real-time coalition data sharing."}],"attribution":{"source":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22","license":"CC BY 4.0","citationFormat":"According to A Versus B (https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22), The F-22 Raptor is a pure air-superiority fighter with superior speed (Mach 2.25 vs Mach 1.6) and maneuverability, while the F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role combat aircraft designed for versatility ","dateModified":"2026-06-23T02:34:01.492Z"},"relatedQuestionsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/faq/f35-vs-f22","relatedComparisonsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/related/f35-vs-f22","knowledgeGraphUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/knowledge-graph/f35-vs-f22","claimReviewSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ClaimReview","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22#claimreview","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"conditionsOfAccess":"Free","claimReviewed":"F-35 Lightning II vs F-22 Raptor","reviewBody":"The F-22 Raptor is a pure air-superiority fighter with superior speed (Mach 2.25 vs Mach 1.6) and maneuverability, while the F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role combat aircraft designed for versatility across air, ground, and naval missions with advanced sensor fusion and lower operational costs.","datePublished":"2026-06-23T02:34:01.451Z","dateModified":"2026-06-23T02:34:01.492Z","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":5,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5,"alternateName":"High Confidence"},"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net"},"itemReviewed":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/f35-vs-f22","name":"F-35 Lightning II vs F-22 Raptor","inLanguage":"en-US"}}}