{"id":"comp-221","slug":"f-22-vs-su-57","title":"F-22 Raptor vs Su-57 Felon","shortAnswer":"The F-22 Raptor is the world's best air superiority fighter with unmatched stealth, supercruise, and a flawless combat-readiness record. The Su-57 Felon is Russia's 5th-gen answer with superior raw speed and supermaneuverability but only ~30 produced and inferior stealth. The F-22 wins decisively in any realistic engagement scenario.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Stealth (RCS)","entityAValue":"0.0001 m² (superior)","entityBValue":"0.1-1 m² (estimated)","winner":"a"},{"label":"Top Speed","entityAValue":"Mach 2.25","entityBValue":"Mach 2.0","winner":"a"},{"label":"Supercruise","entityAValue":"Mach 1.82","entityBValue":"Mach 1.6 (claimed)","winner":"a"},{"label":"Range (Ferry)","entityAValue":"2,960 km","entityBValue":"3,500 km","winner":"b"},{"label":"Units Produced","entityAValue":"187","entityBValue":"~30","winner":"a"},{"label":"Cost Per Unit","entityAValue":"$150M+","entityBValue":"$35-50M (estimated)","winner":"b"},{"label":"Thrust Vectoring","entityAValue":"2D (pitch only)","entityBValue":"3D (pitch + yaw)","winner":"b"},{"label":"Service Entry","entityAValue":"2005","entityBValue":"2020","winner":"a"}],"verdict":"The F-22 dominates in stealth, sensor fusion, and combat readiness. The Su-57 has impressive flight performance on paper but lacks production numbers, proven stealth, and real combat experience. The F-22 remains the world's most feared air superiority fighter.","category":"military","entities":[{"id":"ent-442","slug":"f-22-raptor","name":"F-22 Raptor","shortDesc":"US 5th-gen air superiority fighter, world's most advanced","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"technology","position":0,"pros":["Best stealth of any fighter (0.0001m² RCS)","Supercruise at Mach 1.82 without afterburner","Supermaneuverability with thrust vectoring","Advanced AN/APG-77 AESA radar","187 produced, all combat-ready","20+ years of operational maturity"],"cons":["$150M+ per unit (most expensive fighter)","Production ended in 2011","Limited ground-attack role","Export banned (US only)","Older avionics vs F-35"],"bestFor":"Absolute air dominance and stealth superiority"},{"id":"ent-443","slug":"su-57-felon","name":"Su-57 Felon","shortDesc":"Russia's 5th-gen stealth fighter by Sukhoi","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"technology","position":1,"pros":["Mach 2.0 top speed","3D thrust vectoring (supermaneuverable)","Long range (3,500 km ferry)","Internal weapons bays","Dual engines (Saturn AL-41F1)","Cheaper than Western 5th-gen fighters"],"cons":["Only ~30 produced as of 2026","Inferior stealth (estimated 0.1-1m² RCS)","Limited sensor fusion capability","No allied operators","Engine reliability concerns","No proven combat record vs peer adversaries"],"bestFor":"Russian air force air superiority and interception"}],"attributes":[{"id":"attr-1310","slug":"radar-cross-section","name":"Radar Cross Section","unit":null,"category":"Stealth","dataType":"text","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"0.0001 m²","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"0.1-1 m² (estimated)","valueNumber":null,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false}]},{"id":"attr-1311","slug":"top-speed","name":"Top Speed","unit":"Mach","category":"Performance","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"Mach 2.25","valueNumber":2.25,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"Mach 2.0","valueNumber":2,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false}]},{"id":"attr-1312","slug":"supercruise-speed","name":"Supercruise Speed","unit":"Mach","category":"Performance","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"Mach 1.82","valueNumber":1.82,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"Mach 1.6 (claimed)","valueNumber":1.6,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false}]},{"id":"attr-1313","slug":"combat-radius","name":"Combat Radius","unit":"km","category":"Range","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"760 km","valueNumber":760,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"1,500 km (claimed)","valueNumber":1500,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1314","slug":"ferry-range","name":"Ferry Range","unit":"km","category":"Range","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"2,960 km","valueNumber":2960,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"3,500 km","valueNumber":3500,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1315","slug":"max-weapons-payload","name":"Max Weapons Payload","unit":"kg","category":"Armament","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"~2,270 kg (internal)","valueNumber":2270,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"~4,000 kg (internal)","valueNumber":4000,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1316","slug":"units-produced","name":"Units Produced","unit":null,"category":"Production","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"187","valueNumber":187,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"~30","valueNumber":30,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false}]},{"id":"attr-1317","slug":"unit-cost","name":"Unit Cost","unit":"USD","category":"Economics","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"$150M+","valueNumber":150,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"$35-50M (est.)","valueNumber":42,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1318","slug":"service-ceiling","name":"Service Ceiling","unit":"ft","category":"Performance","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"65,000 ft","valueNumber":65000,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"66,000 ft","valueNumber":66000,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1319","slug":"crew","name":"Crew","unit":null,"category":"General","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-442","valueText":"1","valueNumber":1,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"ent-443","valueText":"1","valueNumber":1,"valueBoolean":null}]}],"faqs":[{"question":"Would an F-22 beat a Su-57 in a dogfight?","answer":"Almost certainly yes. The F-22's stealth advantage means it would detect and engage the Su-57 long before visual range. Even in a close-range dogfight, the F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio and pilot training give it the edge. The Su-57's 3D thrust vectoring is impressive but hasn't been proven against a peer opponent."},{"question":"Is the Su-57 really a 5th generation fighter?","answer":"This is debated. Western analysts consider the Su-57 a '4.5+ generation' fighter because its stealth is significantly inferior to the F-22 and F-35. Its radar cross section is estimated at 100-10,000x larger than the F-22's. Russia classifies it as 5th gen based on internal weapons bays and sensor suite."},{"question":"Why are there so few Su-57s?","answer":"Russia has struggled with production due to engine development delays (the intended AL-51F1 engine is still not ready), Western sanctions limiting access to advanced electronics, and budget constraints. India withdrew from the joint development program in 2018, removing a major funding source."},{"question":"Why did the US stop making F-22s?","answer":"Production ended in 2011 at 187 units. At the time, there was no peer adversary to justify the $150M+ per-unit cost. The Pentagon shifted funding to the more affordable, multi-role F-35 program. Many defense analysts now consider this a strategic mistake given China and Russia's 5th-gen programs."},{"question":"Which is better for air superiority in 2026?","answer":"The F-22 remains the world's best air superiority fighter. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, advanced radar, and 20 years of operational refinement make it unmatched. The Su-57 has potential but lacks the production numbers, proven reliability, and combat experience to compete."}],"relatedComparisons":[{"slug":"j20-vs-f22","title":"J-20 vs F-22","category":"military"},{"slug":"f35-vs-f22","title":"F-35 Lightning II vs F-22 Raptor","category":"military"},{"slug":"us-military-vs-china-military","title":"US Military vs China Military","category":"military"},{"slug":"usa-vs-china","title":"USA vs China","category":"countries"},{"slug":"ww1-vs-ww2","title":"World War 1 vs World War 2: Causes, Deaths & Key Differences","category":"history"},{"slug":"us-navy-vs-us-army","title":"US Navy vs US Army","category":"military"},{"slug":"marines-vs-army","title":"US Marines vs US Army","category":"military"},{"slug":"air-force-vs-navy","title":"Air Force vs Navy","category":"military"},{"slug":"nato-vs-brics","title":"NATO vs BRICS","category":"military"},{"slug":"officer-vs-enlisted","title":"Officer vs Enlisted","category":"military"},{"slug":"us-military-vs-russia-military","title":"US Military vs Russia Military","category":"military"},{"slug":"india-military-vs-pakistan-military","title":"India Military vs Pakistan Military","category":"military"}],"relatedBlogPosts":[],"metadata":{"metaTitle":"F-22 Raptor vs Su-57 Felon: Complete Comparison (2026) | Comparison","metaDescription":"The F-22 Raptor is the world's best air superiority fighter with unmatched stealth, supercruise, and a flawless combat-readiness record. The Su-57 Felon is…","publishedAt":"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-03-27T00:00:00Z","isAutoGenerated":false,"isHumanReviewed":true,"viewCount":0}}