{"id":"comp-206","slug":"f-35-vs-su-57","title":"F-35 vs Su-57","shortAnswer":"The F-35 Lightning II is the world's most advanced multi-role stealth fighter with 1,000+ delivered and combat-proven in multiple conflicts. The Su-57 Felon is Russia's 5th gen answer with superior speed and maneuverability but only ~30 produced and limited stealth capability.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Stealth (RCS)","entityAValue":"0.001 m² (est.)","entityBValue":"0.1-1 m² (est.)","winner":"a"},{"label":"Top Speed","entityAValue":"Mach 1.6","entityBValue":"Mach 2.0","winner":"b"},{"label":"Units Produced","entityAValue":"1,000+","entityBValue":"~30","winner":"a"},{"label":"Unit Cost","entityAValue":"$80M","entityBValue":"$35-50M","winner":"b"},{"label":"Sensors","entityAValue":"AN/APG-81 AESA + DAS","entityBValue":"N036 Byelka AESA","winner":"a"},{"label":"Combat Proven","entityAValue":"Yes (multiple theaters)","entityBValue":"Limited (Ukraine/Syria)","winner":"a"}],"verdict":"The F-35 wins on stealth, sensors, network warfare, and proven combat record. The Su-57 has better raw flight performance but lacks the production numbers, sensor fusion, and allied interoperability that make the F-35 dominant.","category":"military","entities":[{"id":"ent-412","slug":"f-35","name":"F-35 Lightning II","shortDesc":"US 5th gen multi-role stealth fighter by Lockheed Martin","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"technology","position":0,"pros":["Superior stealth (all-aspect RCS)","Advanced sensor fusion (AN/APG-81 AESA)","1,000+ delivered worldwide","Combat-proven (Syria, Iran)","Network-centric warfare","3 variants (A/B/C) for all services"],"cons":["$80M+ unit cost","Lower top speed (Mach 1.6)","Single engine","Maintenance intensive"],"bestFor":"Stealth, intelligence, and coalition warfare"},{"id":"ent-413","slug":"su-57","name":"Su-57 Felon","shortDesc":"Russia's 5th gen stealth fighter by Sukhoi","imageUrl":null,"entityType":"technology","position":1,"pros":["Supermaneuverability (3D thrust vectoring)","Mach 2.0 top speed","Long range (3,500 km ferry)","Internal weapons bay","Twin engine reliability"],"cons":["Only ~30 produced","Inferior stealth to F-35","Limited sensor fusion","No combat allies operating it","Engine reliability issues"],"bestFor":"Air superiority and high-speed interception"}],"attributes":[{"id":"attr-1160","slug":"max-speed","name":"Max Speed","unit":"Mach","category":"Performance","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-412","valueText":"1.6","valueNumber":1.6,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-413","valueText":"2.0","valueNumber":2,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1161","slug":"combat-radius","name":"Combat Radius","unit":"km","category":"Range","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-412","valueText":"1,093","valueNumber":1093,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false},{"entityId":"ent-413","valueText":"1,500","valueNumber":1500,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true}]},{"id":"attr-1162","slug":"units-produced","name":"Units Produced","unit":null,"category":"Production","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":true,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-412","valueText":"1,000+","valueNumber":1000,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":true},{"entityId":"ent-413","valueText":"~30","valueNumber":30,"valueBoolean":null,"winner":false}]},{"id":"attr-1163","slug":"stealth-rcs-","name":"Stealth (RCS)","unit":"m²","category":"Stealth","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-412","valueText":"0.001 (est.)","valueNumber":0.001,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"ent-413","valueText":"0.1-1 (est.)","valueNumber":0.5,"valueBoolean":null}]},{"id":"attr-1164","slug":"unit-cost","name":"Unit Cost","unit":"USD","category":"Cost","dataType":"number","higherIsBetter":null,"values":[{"entityId":"ent-412","valueText":"$80M","valueNumber":80,"valueBoolean":null},{"entityId":"ent-413","valueText":"$35-50M","valueNumber":42,"valueBoolean":null}]}],"faqs":[{"question":"Is the Su-57 better than the F-35?","answer":"In raw flight performance (speed, maneuverability), yes. In stealth, sensors, and combat-proven capability, the F-35 is significantly superior. The F-35's sensor fusion and allied network give it massive advantages in real combat."},{"question":"How many Su-57s does Russia have?","answer":"Russia has approximately 30 Su-57s as of 2026, with plans for 76 by 2028. Production has been slow due to engine issues and sanctions. Compare this to 1,000+ F-35s delivered worldwide."}],"relatedComparisons":[{"slug":"f-22-vs-f-35","title":"F-22 vs F-35","category":"products"},{"slug":"f-16-vs-f-35","title":"F-16 vs F-35","category":"products"},{"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-35 vs Su-57: Complete Comparison (2026) | Comparison","metaDescription":"The F-35 Lightning II is the world's most advanced multi-role stealth fighter with 1,000+ delivered and combat-proven in multiple conflicts. The Su-57 Felon…","publishedAt":"2026-03-21T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-03-21T00:00:00Z","isAutoGenerated":false,"isHumanReviewed":true,"viewCount":567000}}