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F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet vs Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon Fighter Jet

	F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon Fighter Jet Select Product

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Our Rating	8.8 8.0
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC)
Category	Fighter Jets Fighter Jets

General Information

Name	F-35 Lightning II Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC)
Country of Origin	United States China
Type / Role	Multirole Stealth Fighter Stealth Air Superiority / Multirole Fighter
Generation	5th 5th Generation
Status	In Service In Active Service
First Flight	December 15, 2006 January 11, 2011
Introduction / In Service Since	2015 March 2017
Number Built	1,200+ (as of 2025) 200+ (estimated as of 2025)
Operators	USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)

Dimensions & Structure

Length	51.2 ft (15.6 m) 20.4 m (67 ft)
Wingspan	35 ft (10.7 m) 13.5 m (44 ft)
Height	14.4 ft (4.38 m) 4.45 m (14.6 ft)
Wing Area	460 sq ft (42.7 m²) ~78 m²
Empty Weight	29,300 lb (13,300 kg) 19,000 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	70,000 lb (31,800 kg) 37,000 kg
Internal Weapons Bay	2 (up to 5,700 lb payload) 2 main + 2 side bays
External Hardpoints	6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total) 4 (optional)

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 1.6 Mach 2.0+
Range	1,380 mi (2,220 km) 2,000 km
Combat Radius	~670 mi (1,080 km) 1,100 km
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,240 m) 66,000 ft (20,000 m)
Rate of Climb	45,000 ft/min 60,000 ft/min
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	0.87 ~1.1
G Limits	+9 +9 G

Powerplant

Engine Type	Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 WS-15 (or AL-31FM2 on earlier units)
No. of Engines	1 2
Thrust (each)	43,000 lbf 30,000 lbf (WS-15, projected)
Thrust Vectoring	Yes (on F-35B variant) Yes (newer variants)
Fuel Capacity	~18,500 lb internal ~25,000 lb (internal)

Armament

Gun	GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A) None (internal space optimized for stealth)
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X PL-10, PL-15, PL-21 (future)
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM KD-series guided missiles
Bombs	JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II Precision-guided bombs (optional)
Hardpoints	6 external + 2 internal 4 external (non-stealth use)
Payload Capacity	~18,000 lb ~11,000 kg

Avionics & Systems

Radar	AN/APG-81 AESA Type 1475 AESA radar
Radar Range	~150+ km ~200+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	AN/ASQ-239 suite Integrated ECM suite
Targeting System	EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS)
Helmet Display	HMDS Gen III Yes
Navigation	GPS/INS with terrain-following Inertial + Satellite-assisted
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Advanced flight management Semi-autonomous flight control
Communication	MADL & Link 16 secure data links Encrypted data links, satellite comms

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	~0.001 m² Estimated 0.025–0.1 m²
Stealth Features	RAM coating, internal weapons bay, edge alignment Shaping, RAM coating, internal bays
Infrared Signature Reduction	Yes Engine shrouds, thermal coating
Sensor Fusion	Full 360° data integration Yes
Networking Capabilities	Distributed data-sharing with allied units Integrated with PLAAF command networks

Variants

Special Export Versions

F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc. Experimental electronic warfare variant

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria) None confirmed
Notable Operators	USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF PLAAF
Combat Proven?	Yes Not yet combat-tested
Mission Types	Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR Air superiority, long-range interception, precision strike

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	$80–100 million (variant-dependent) ~$100–120 million (estimated)
Development Cost	~$400 billion (program total) Classified
Program Name	Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Mighty Dragon Program
Funding Countries	USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc. China

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Block 4, Tech Refresh 3 WS-15 engine, new avionics, EW enhancements
Future Replacement	NGAD (2035+) None (core 5th-gen fleet)
Export Restrictions	U.S. FMS approval required Not for export
Notable Achievements	Widest global fighter program in history First operational stealth fighter in Asia
Competitors	Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21 F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, Su-57 Felon

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