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F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet vs SU-57 Felon Stealth Fighter

	F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet SU-57 Felon Stealth Fighter Select Product

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Our Rating	8.8 8.0
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Sukhoi
Category	Fighter Jets Fighter Jets

General Information

Name	F-35 Lightning II Su-57 Felon
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Sukhoi (UAC)
Country of Origin	United States Russia
Type / Role	Multirole Stealth Fighter Stealth Air Superiority / Multirole Fighter
Generation	5th Fifth
Status	In Service In limited service
First Flight	December 15, 2006 January 29, 2010
Introduction / In Service Since	2015 2020
Number Built	1,200+ (as of 2025) ~25 (as of 2025)
Operators	USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others Russian Aerospace Forces

Dimensions & Structure

Length	51.2 ft (15.6 m) 20.1 m
Wingspan	35 ft (10.7 m) 14.1 m
Height	14.4 ft (4.38 m) 4.6 m
Wing Area	460 sq ft (42.7 m²) 78.8 m²
Empty Weight	29,300 lb (13,300 kg) ~18,000 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	70,000 lb (31,800 kg) 35,000 kg
Internal Weapons Bay	2 (up to 5,700 lb payload) Yes (2 main, 2 side)
External Hardpoints	6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total) 6

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 1.6 Mach 2.0
Range	1,380 mi (2,220 km) 3,500 km
Combat Radius	~670 mi (1,080 km) 1,500 km
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,240 m) 20,000 m
Rate of Climb	45,000 ft/min 330 m/s
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	0.87 ~1.15
G Limits	+9 +9

Powerplant

Engine Type	Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 Saturn AL-41F1 (future Izdeliye 30)
No. of Engines	1 2
Thrust (each)	43,000 lbf 142 kN with afterburner
Thrust Vectoring	Yes (on F-35B variant) Yes (3D)
Fuel Capacity	~18,500 lb internal ~10,300 kg

Armament

Gun	GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A) 30mm GSh-30-1 cannon
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X R-77, R-74M, R-37M
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM Kh-38, Kh-59MK2
Bombs	JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II KAB-250/500 guided bombs
Hardpoints	6 external + 2 internal 10 (internal + external)
Payload Capacity	~18,000 lb 10,000 kg

Avionics & Systems

Radar	AN/APG-81 AESA N036 Byelka AESA
Radar Range	~150+ km 400+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	AN/ASQ-239 suite L402 Himalayas suite
Targeting System	EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) IRST + radar fusion
Helmet Display	HMDS Gen III Integrated HMS
Navigation	GPS/INS with terrain-following GLONASS-based INS
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Advanced flight management Partial autonomy
Communication	MADL & Link 16 secure data links Encrypted data link

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	~0.001 m² Estimated 0.3–0.5 m²
Stealth Features	RAM coating, internal weapons bay, edge alignment Internal bays, radar-absorbing composites
Infrared Signature Reduction	Yes Engine shielding, cooling design
Sensor Fusion	Full 360° data integration Multi-source integration
Networking Capabilities	Distributed data-sharing with allied units Limited data-link interoperability

Variants

Special Export Versions

F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc. Su-57E (Export Variant)

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria) Syria (testing), Ukraine (limited combat)
Notable Operators	USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF Russia
Combat Proven?	Yes Limited
Mission Types	Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR Air superiority, strike, reconnaissance

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	$80–100 million (variant-dependent) ~$45–50 million (estimated)
Development Cost	~$400 billion (program total) ~$10 billion (PAK FA program)
Program Name	Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) PAK FA (T-50)
Funding Countries	USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc. Russia

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Block 4, Tech Refresh 3 New radar, Izdeliye 30 engines
Future Replacement	NGAD (2035+) None planned (Su-57M modernization)
Export Restrictions	U.S. FMS approval required Controlled by Russian government
Notable Achievements	Widest global fighter program in history Russia’s first fifth-gen stealth jet
Competitors	Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21 F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, J-20 Mighty Dragon

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