F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Jet vs F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet

	F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Jet F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet Select Product

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

General Information

Name	F-15EX Eagle II F-35 Lightning II
Manufacturer	Boeing Defense, Space & Security Lockheed Martin
Country of Origin	United States United States
Type / Role	Multirole / Air Superiority Fighter Multirole Stealth Fighter
Generation	4.5+ 5th
Status	In production / Active service In Service
First Flight	February 2, 2021 December 15, 2006
Introduction / In Service Since	2023 (U.S. Air Force) 2015
Number Built	~20 (planned: 104+) 1,200+ (as of 2025)
Operators	U.S. Air Force USA, UK, Japan, Israel, Italy, Australia, and others

Dimensions & Structure

Length	63.8 ft (19.45 m) 51.2 ft (15.6 m)
Wingspan	42.8 ft (13.05 m) 35 ft (10.7 m)
Height	18.5 ft (5.64 m) 14.4 ft (4.38 m)
Wing Area	608 sq ft (56.5 m²) 460 sq ft (42.7 m²)
Empty Weight	31,700 lb (14,380 kg) 29,300 lb (13,300 kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW)	81,000 lb (36,700 kg) 70,000 lb (31,800 kg)
Internal Weapons Bay	None 2 (up to 5,700 lb payload)
External Hardpoints	12 6–10 (up to 18,000 lb total)

Performance

Maximum Speed	Mach 2.5+ Mach 1.6
Range	2,700 mi (4,345 km) 1,380 mi (2,220 km)
Combat Radius	1,100 mi (1,770 km) ~670 mi (1,080 km)
Service Ceiling	60,000 ft (18,300 m) 50,000 ft (15,240 m)
Rate of Climb	50,000 ft/min 45,000 ft/min
Thrust-to-Weight Ratio	1.19 0.87
G Limits	+9 +9

Powerplant

Engine Type	Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100
No. of Engines	2 1
Thrust (each)	29,000 lbf 43,000 lbf
Thrust Vectoring	No Yes (on F-35B variant)
Fuel Capacity	36,000 lb internal/external ~18,500 lb internal

Armament

Gun	1× M61A1 Vulcan 20mm GAU-22/A 25mm cannon (F-35A)
Missiles (Air-to-Air)	AIM-120, AIM-9X AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X
Missiles (Air-to-Ground)	AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-84 AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM
Bombs	JDAM, GBU series JDAM, Paveway II/III, SDB I/II
Hardpoints	12 6 external + 2 internal
Payload Capacity	29,500 lb (13,380 kg) ~18,000 lb

Avionics & Systems

Radar	AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA AN/APG-81 AESA
Radar Range	200+ miles ~150+ km
Electronic Warfare (EW) System	EPAWSS AN/ASQ-239 suite
Targeting System	Sniper XR pod EOTS (Electro-Optical Targeting System)
Helmet Display	JHMCS II HMDS Gen III
Navigation	GPS/INS with terrain-following GPS/INS with terrain-following
Autopilot / AI Assistance	Digital fly-by-wire Advanced flight management
Communication	Link 16, secure datalinks MADL & Link 16 secure data links

Stealth & Technology

Radar Cross Section (RCS)	Moderate (non-stealth) ~0.001 m²
Stealth Features	Radar-absorbent coatings RAM coating, internal weapons bay, edge alignment
Infrared Signature Reduction	Partial Yes
Sensor Fusion	Advanced mission computer Full 360° data integration
Networking Capabilities	Open mission systems, JADC2 compatible Distributed data-sharing with allied units

Variants

Special Export Versions

F-15QA (Qatar), F-15SA (Saudi Arabia), F-15IA (Israel), F-15SG (Singapore) F-35I (Israel), F-35A (Japan), etc.

Operational History

Major Conflicts / Deployments	Not yet combat-deployed (2025) Middle East operations (Iraq, Syria)
Notable Operators	U.S. Air Force USAF, USN, USMC, RAF, IDF
Combat Proven?	Not yet Yes
Mission Types	Air superiority, strike, defense suppression Air superiority, strike, SEAD, ISR

Cost & Program

Unit Cost	~$87.9 million $80–100 million (variant-dependent)
Development Cost	~$1.2 billion ~$400 billion (program total)
Program Name	F-15EX Eagle II Program Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
Funding Countries	United States USA, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, etc.

Additional Information

Upgrades Planned	Hypersonic weapons integration Block 4, Tech Refresh 3
Future Replacement	Potential sixth-gen NGAD NGAD (2035+)
Export Restrictions	Limited to close U.S. allies U.S. FMS approval required
Notable Achievements	Fastest U.S. production fighter Widest global fighter program in history
Competitors	Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Su-35 Su-57, J-20, Tempest, KF-21

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