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Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II vs Dassault Rafale Comparison


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Direct side-by-side comparison of two aircraft.

Your selected aircraft are compared in side-by-side arrangement below. You can always go back and Compare any two aircraft in our database. Some entries contain '0', 'not available', or an 'NA' value. This is more common with conceptual, experimental, and x-plane designs. Rotary-wing system (i.e. helicopters) values include main rotor diameter as part of width/wingspan measurement. UAV entries may display crew values as '0', not taking into account ground-based controllers.
Subjects
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Advanced Multi-Role Strike Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft
Dassault Rafale C
4th Generation Multirole Fighter Aircraft
Basics
ORIGIN
United States
ORIGIN
France
YEAR
2016 [Diff.+15 yrs]
YEAR
2001 [Diff.-15 yrs]
CREW
1
CREW
1
PRODUCTION
785 units [Diff.+584]
PRODUCTION
201 units [Diff.-584]
Dimensions
LENGTH
50.4 ft (15.4 m) [Diff.+0.2 ft]
LENGTH
50.2 ft (15.3 m) [Diff.-0.2 ft]
WIDTH/SPAN
34.9 ft (10.7 m) [Diff.-0.8 ft]
WIDTH/SPAN
35.8 ft (10.9 m) [Diff.+0.8 ft]
HEIGHT
17.3 ft (5.3 m) [Diff.-0.2 ft]
HEIGHT
17.5 ft (5.3 m) [Diff.+0.2 ft]
Relative Size Comparison
Shapes below depict aircraft from wingtip-to-wingtip / nose-to-tail assuming aircraft are being viewed from overhead perspective (the nose pointing towards the top of the screen). Helicopter widths include main rotor diameter. If any dimensional values are "NA" in the database then the presented shapes may appear skewed.
Compare aircraft size graphic
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Compare aircraft size graphic
Dassault Rafale C
Weights
EMPTY WT.
29,002 lb (13,155 kg) [Diff.+6,294 lb]
EMPTY WT.
22,708 lb (10,300 kg) [Diff.-6,294 lb]
M.T.O.W.
70,107 lb (31,800 kg) [Diff.+16,094 lb]
M.T.O.W.
54,013 lb (24,500 kg) [Diff.-16,094 lb]
Installed Power
1 x Pratt & Whitney F135 F119-PW-100 afterburning turbofan developing 28,000lb thrust dry and 43,000 lb thrust with reheat.
2 x SNECMA M88-2 augmented afterburning turbofan engines developing 11,250lb of dry thrust each and 19,555 lb of thrust with reheat.
Performance
SPEED
1,199 mph (1,930 kph) [Diff.-183 mph]
SPEED
1,383 mph (2,225 kph) [Diff.+183 mph]
RANGE
1,379 miles (2,220 km) [Diff.-920 miles]
RANGE
2,299 miles (3,700 km) [Diff.+920 miles]
CEILING
50,000 ft (15,240 m) [Diff.-1,952 feet]
CEILING
51,952 ft (15,835 m) [Diff.+1,952 feet]
Armament
STANDARD (F-35A):
1 x 25mm GAU-12/U internal four-barreled automatic cannon.

OPTIONAL (F-35B and F-35C):
1 x 25mm GAU-12/U cannon in an external pod ("missionized gun").

OPTIONAL (rated up to 18,000lb):
The F-35 series will house all primary armament in an internal weapons bay. However, six optional external pylons will be made available (two of these reserved for AIM-9X Sidewinder support). Mission-specific ordnance can include a combination of the following:

AIM-9X "Sidewinder" short-range, air-to-air missiles.
AIM-120B/C AMRAAM medium-range, air-to-air missiles.
AIM-132 ASRAAM short-range, air-to-air missiles.
2,000lb GBU-10 "Paveway II" guided bombs.
2,000lb GBU-24A/B "Paveway III" guided bombs.
2,000lb GBU-31 JDAM bombs.
2,000lb MK-84 general purpose bombs.
2,000lb MK-84 BSU-50 "Ballute" general purpose bombs.
2,000lb GBU-31 JDAM bombs.
1,000lb GNU-16 "Paveway II" guided bombs.
1,000lb MK-83 BLU-110 general purpose bombs.
1,000lb GBU-32 JDAM bombs.
500lb CBU-38 JDAM bombs.
500lb GBU-12 "Paveway II" laser-guided bombs.
500lb MK-82 general purpose bombs.
MK-83 BSU-85 general purpose bombs.
CBU-99/100 "Rockeye II" cluster bombs.
CBU-103/105 munitions dispenser.
AGM-154 A/C JSOW glide bombs.
"Brimstone" / Joint Common Missiles.
Phase I SDB (under development).
"Stormshadow" cruise missiles.
AGM-158 JASSM missiles.
MXU-648/CNU-88 Baggage Pod.
BDU-57/58/60 laser-guided training round.
MK-76/MK-58/BDU-48.
426-gallon external / jettisonable fuel tanks.
STANDARD:
1 x 30mm GIAT 30/M791 internal automatic cannon.

OPTIONAL:
Mission-specific armament with a maximum load of up to 20,900 lb on fourteen external hardpoints. Can include the following (or a mix of):

MBDA MICA medium-range Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs).
MBDA "Meteor" long-range AAMs.
ASMP nuclear stand-off missiles.
AM-39 "Exocet" anti-ship missiles.
AS 30L laser-guided Air-to-Surface Missiles (ASMs).
APACHE stand-off munitions dispensers.
Laser-Guided Bombs ("Paveway" / "Enhanced Paveway" LGB family).
Anti-Armor / Anti-Runway / Runway Denial munitions.
Air-to-Surface Rocket Pods.
Air-Launched Cruiser Missiles (ALCMs)
3 x Jettisonable Fuel Drop Tanks.
Going Further
View Entry
(Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II)
View Entry
(Dassault Rafale)
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