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F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fighter Jet vs F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet

	F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fighter Jet F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet Select Product

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Our Rating	8.0 8.8
Manufacturer	Boeing Defense Lockheed Martin
Category	Fighter Jets Fighter Jets

General Information

Name	F/A-18E/F Super Hornet F-35 Lightning II
Manufacturer	Boeing Defense, Space & Security Lockheed Martin
Country of Origin	United States United States
Type / Role	Carrier-based Multirole Fighter Multirole Stealth Fighter
Generation	4.5th 5th
Status	In active service In Service
First Flight	November 29, 1995 December 15, 2006
Introduction / In Service Since	1999 2015
Number Built	Over 600 units 1,200+ (as of 2025)
Operators	U.S. Navy, Royal Australian Air Force USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others

Dimensions & Structure

Length	60.3 ft (18.5 m) 51.2 ft (15.6 m)
Wingspan	44.9 ft (13.6 m) 35 ft (10.7 m)
Height	16 ft (4.9 m) 14.4 ft (4.38 m)
Wing Area	500 sq ft (46.5 m²) 460 sq ft (42.7 m²)
Empty Weight	32,081 lb (14,552 kg) 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	66,000 lb (29,937 kg) 70,000 lb (31,800 kg)
Internal Weapons Bay	None 2 (up to 5,700 lb payload)
External Hardpoints	11 6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total)

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 1.8 Mach 1.6
Range	1,275 nm (2,346 km) 1,380 mi (2,220 km)
Combat Radius	390 nm (722 km) ~670 mi (1,080 km)
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,240 m) 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Rate of Climb	44,882 ft/min 45,000 ft/min
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	0.93 0.87
G Limits	+7.5 / -3.0 +9

Powerplant

Engine Type	Afterburning Turbofan Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100
No. of Engines	2 1
Thrust (each)	22,000 lbf 43,000 lbf
Thrust Vectoring	No Yes (on F-35B variant)
Fuel Capacity	14,400 lb (internal) ~18,500 lb internal

Armament

Gun	1× M61A2 20mm Vulcan GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A)
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-9X, AIM-120 AMRAAM AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 HARM AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM
Bombs	JDAM, Paveway, Mk 83/84 JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II
Hardpoints	11 6 external + 2 internal
Payload Capacity	9,920 kg (21,900 lb) ~18,000 lb

Avionics & Systems

Radar	AN/APG-79 AESA AN/APG-81 AESA
Radar Range	150+ km ~150+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	AN/ALQ-214 IDECM AN/ASQ-239 suite
Targeting System	ATFLIR pod EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System)
Helmet Display	JHMCS HMDS Gen III
Navigation	GPS/INS GPS/INS with terrain-following
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Advanced Flight Control System Advanced flight management
Communication	Secure data link, Link 16 MADL & Link 16 secure data links

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	Reduced (~1 m² class) ~0.001 m²
Stealth Features	Radar-absorbent materials, shaping RAM coating, internal weapons bay, edge alignment
Infrared Signature Reduction	Moderate Yes
Sensor Fusion	Partial Full 360° data integration
Networking Capabilities	NIFC-CA compatible Distributed data-sharing with allied units

Variants

Special Export Versions

Australia (F/A-18F) F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc.

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria)
Notable Operators	U.S. Navy, Australia USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF
Combat Proven?	Yes Yes
Mission Types	Air superiority, strike, SEAD, maritime patrol Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	~$70–80 million (Block III) $80–100 million (variant-dependent)
Development Cost	~$5 billion ~$400 billion (program total)
Program Name	F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Program Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
Funding Countries	United States, Australia USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc.

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Block III digital cockpit, network enhancements Block 4, Tech Refresh 3
Future Replacement	F/A-XX (Next Generation Air Dominance) NGAD (2035+)
Export Restrictions	U.S. ITAR-controlled U.S. FMS approval required
Notable Achievements	Over two decades of carrier dominance Widest global fighter program in history
Competitors	Rafale M, F-35C, MiG-29K Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21

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