Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon vs Dassault Aviation Rafale F4
Full specs: Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon Dassault Aviation Rafale F4
Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon and Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 leads on weapons payload (9,500 vs 7,700 kg).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 2,120 km/h ✓ | 1,912 km/h |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 2 Mach ✓ | 1.8 Mach |
| Range (km) | 4,220 km ✓ | 3,700 km |
| Combat radius (km) | 550 km | 1,850 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m ✓ | 15,235 m |
| Rate of climb (m/s) | N/A | 305 m/s |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1.1 ✓ | 0.99 |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 9 | 14 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 7,700 kg | 9,500 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.06 m | 15.27 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 8,570 kg | 10,600 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 12,000 kg | 24,500 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 129 kN ✓ | 75 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $30,000,000 ✓ | $115,000,000 |
| Units built | 4,600 ✓ | 280 |
| Operator countries | 25 ✓ | 8 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon and Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,120 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon has the longest range at 4,220 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 carries the largest weapons payload at 9,500 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon has the lower public unit-cost figure at 30,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 has the higher combat radius at 1,850 km.
Is the Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon better than the Dassault Aviation Rafale F4? +
On the public specs we track, the Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon leads on 4 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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