There is hardly any other topic that can evoke as much emotion among aviation enthusiasts within the past two decades as the controversy surrounding the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Both of these marvels of stealth technology are powered by a different kind of innovation that puts them at the forefront of air combat technology. However, while they may have some things in common, they were not designed to compete but to complement each other. So which one wins the fight?
The creation of the F-22 Raptor owes its origins to the Advanced Tactical Fighter program of the U.S. Air Force. Besides Boeing, Lockheed Martin was Ford’s partner in this project. The Raptor stayed true to its name by being the fastest, stealthiest, and agile enough to swallow the airspace. The limited number of slightly more than 180 aircraft was produced without any discharge due to the sensitivity of the technology. Beautified in 2011, however, the Air Force has been renovating the jet, thus extending its lifespan.
On the flip side, the F-35 Lightning II is a product of the Joint Strike Fighter program with a totally different agenda. Lockheed Martin created three different models, justifiably different, one for the Air Force, one for the Navy, and the last for the Marine Corps. While the Raptor merely concentrated on air superiority, the F-35 was designed to be a multirole aircraft. Since the first flight in 2006 and the moment of acceptance in 2015, the Lightning II has established itself as the most dispersed fifth-generation fighter in the world, which is confirmed by the enormous number of flight hours with a speedy growing fleet across the globe.
If we are to talk about pure flight performance, the F-22 is still the one that has the advantage. Traditional dogfights are the domain where the Raptor is unmatched due to its ability to exceed Mach 2, its brilliant rate of ascent, and so on. Its six nozzles for thrust vectoring and extreme maneuverability make it possible for it to outperform and outfly almost any foe. The capability of the Raptor to go higher than 60000 feet per minute further supports its name as the ultimate interceptor.
Nevertheless, the F-35 was not designed to escape or defeat the Raptor. The real strength of the model is in its highly developed electronic systems and its capability to be a command center on the battlefield. Outfitted with a revolutionary AESA radar, Electro-Optical Targeting System, as well as sensor fusion of seamless nature, the Lightning II provides the situation awareness to the pilot like never before. As a force multiplier, it is at the command of other airborne, terrestrial, or naval units, thus securing victory in complicated and networked combat scenarios.
The F-35 is a jack-of-all-trades and the master of none. The F-22 is a complete powerhouse when it comes to air-to-air combat; however, the F-35 can expertly change its character and function, thus carrying out the strike mission, monitoring, anti-ship operations, or nuclear deterrence. With the capability to carry explosives of different kinds internally as well as externally, the plane has been given the nickname “quarterback of the skies,” i.e., the one that directs operations in diverse fields of warfare.
Both fighters have stealth in their arsenal, except that they take different approaches to it. The main point of the F-22’s build is to maintain top performance, nd at the same time, have a small radar cross-section, but the stealth properties of it actually vary depending on configuration. On the other hand, the F-35 was designed to be one of the most difficult targets for radars. By combining its stealth with sensors, the Lightning II is at the “see first and shoot first” forefront, and sometimes, the enemy is not even aware of its presence.
The F-35 is the costliest defense program in history, with the sum of the life-cycle costs estimated to be in the trillions. Maintenance problems, delays, and constant upgrading have already caused concerns about the program’s longevity. The engines, cooling systems, and reliability are all being improved; however, the program’s size is the reason why the problem of affordability remains. In order to create a balance between cost and availability, annual flying hours have been modified between the branches.
Being in charge of this kind of machinery, however, a new type of pilot is required. Besides the normal flying abilities, pilots have to be good at handling complex situations as they must operate sensor systems, take in huge amounts of data, and make speedy tactical decisions in fighting zones. Most modern fighters usually engage their targets from far away; thus, stealth, data, and not close-range maneuvering are utilized. Training nowadays also focuses on being able to rapidly adjust, operate in multiple domains, and outsmart rather than outfly the opponents.
Future-wise, the Air Force is already committed to its Next-Generation Air Dominance program, which will be the next big breakthrough. The fighters of tomorrow that are supposed to be even better than Raptor are already in the making; they will be equipped with longer range, modular adaptability, improved stealth, and more efficient operation. This new phase will draw on the experiences gained from the F-22 and F-35.
On the whole, the rivalry between the F-22 and F-35 is not so much about which is better but rather about the shifts in the priority of air combat. The Raptor is still the champion of close-range combat and aerial supremacy, whereas the Lightning II is the future of networked, multi-role warfare. The two of them together are a demonstration of the evolution of air power and also how their teaching can affect the future of the skies.