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F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet vs Dassault Rafale Fighter Jet

	F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet Dassault Rafale Fighter Jet Select Product

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Our Rating	8.8 8.0
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Dassault Aviation
Category	Fighter Jets Fighter Jets

General Information

Name	F-35 Lightning II Dassault Rafale
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Dassault Aviation
Country of Origin	United States France
Type / Role	Multirole Stealth Fighter Multirole Fighter
Generation	5th 4.5
Status	In Service In service
First Flight	December 15, 2006 July 4, 1986
Introduction / In Service Since	2015 2001
Number Built	1,200+ (as of 2025) 240+
Operators	USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others France, India, Egypt, Qatar, Greece, Indonesia

Dimensions & Structure

Length	51.2 ft (15.6 m) 15.27 m
Wingspan	35 ft (10.7 m) 10.9 m
Height	14.4 ft (4.38 m) 5.3 m
Wing Area	460 sq ft (42.7 m²) 45.7 m²
Empty Weight	29,300 lb (13,300 kg) 10,600 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	70,000 lb (31,800 kg) 24,500 kg
Internal Weapons Bay	2 (up to 5,700 lb payload) None
External Hardpoints	6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total) 14

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 1.6 Mach 1.8 (2,223 km/h)
Range	1,380 mi (2,220 km) 3,700 km
Combat Radius	~670 mi (1,080 km) 1,000–1,850 km
Service Ceiling	50,000 ft (15,240 m) 50,000 ft
Rate of Climb	45,000 ft/min 305 m/s
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	0.87 1.13
G Limits	+9 +9 / -3.6

Powerplant

Engine Type	Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 Snecma M88-2 Turbofan
No. of Engines	1 2
Thrust (each)	43,000 lbf 16,500 lbf
Thrust Vectoring	Yes (on F-35B variant) No
Fuel Capacity	~18,500 lb internal 4,700 kg (internal)

Armament

Gun	GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A) GIAT 30mm cannon
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X MICA, Meteor
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM SCALP-EG, AM39 Exocet
Bombs	JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II Paveway, AASM
Hardpoints	6 external + 2 internal 14
Payload Capacity	~18,000 lb 9,500 kg

Avionics & Systems

Radar	AN/APG-81 AESA Thales RBE2 AESA
Radar Range	~150+ km 200+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	AN/ASQ-239 suite SPECTRA Suite
Targeting System	EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System) Thales Damocles / TALIOS Pod
Helmet Display	HMDS Gen III Integrated HMD
Navigation	GPS/INS with terrain-following GPS/INS
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Advanced flight management Semi-Automated
Communication	MADL & Link 16 secure data links Secure Datalink, SATCOM

Stealth & Technology

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

Variants

Special Export Versions

F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc. Rafale EH/IH (India), Rafale EM/QM (Egypt/Qatar)

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria) Libya, Mali, Iraq, Syria
Notable Operators	USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF France, India, Egypt
Combat Proven?	Yes Yes
Mission Types	Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR Air superiority, strike, reconnaissance, deterrence

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	$80–100 million (variant-dependent) $85–115 million
Development Cost	~$400 billion (program total) ~$45 billion
Program Name	Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Rafale Program
Funding Countries	USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc. France

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Block 4, Tech Refresh 3 F4 & F5 standard upgrades
Future Replacement	NGAD (2035+) Next-Gen Fighter (FCAS)
Export Restrictions	U.S. FMS approval required Minimal (case-by-case)
Notable Achievements	Widest global fighter program in history Combat-proven multirole success
Competitors	Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21 Eurofighter Typhoon, F/A-18E/F, Gripen E

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