Tech & Auto
How The F-35 Lightning II Compares To The F22 Raptor Jet
By ALEX HEVESY
The F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lighting II jets are futuristic and similar from the outside, like something you would unlock in a video game after putting in a cheat code.
Both carry a sinister and stealthy vibe but are remarkably different. The U.S. military contracted them to act in contrasting yet overlapping roles on a modern battlefield.
The F-22 is capable of what the U.S.A.F calls "first-kill opportunity." That means it can find, track, and kill a target aircraft before the enemy even knows it’s there.
Living up to its classification of "air dominance fighter" in every respect of the word the F-22 simply has no worthwhile competitors even in the space.
Eventually, the F-35 will provide the backbone for the United States military and its classified as a multi-role fighter, meaning it's a little bit like a Swiss Army knife.
The F-35 is to replace most other fighter and ground attack aircraft, including the F-16, F-18, and A-10, as well as tthe Harrier "jump-jet" under the command of the Marine Corps.
If you want an enemy aircraft destroyed right now, the F-22 is the one for the job. If you need a widely capable substantive core of your fighter fleet, the F-35 is your plane.