Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon vs Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon leads on range (4,220 vs 2,200 km).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon
Wins 8/11 | Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II
Wins 3/11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 2,120 km/h ✓ | 1,960 km/h |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 2 Mach ✓ | 1.6 Mach |
| Range (km) | 4,220 km ✓ | 2,200 km |
| Combat radius (km) | 550 km | 1,240 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m | 15,240 m |
| Rate of climb (m/s) | 254 m/s | N/A |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1.1 ✓ | 0.87 |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 11 ✓ | 10 |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 7,700 kg | 8,160 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 15.06 m | 15.67 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 9,207 kg | 13,290 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 19,187 kg | 22,470 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 129 kN | 191 kN ✓ |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $63,000,000 ✓ | $82,500,000 |
| Units built | 4,600 ✓ | 1,100 |
| Operator countries | 25 ✓ | 20 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 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 70/72 Fighting Falcon has the longest range at 4,220 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II carries the largest weapons payload at 8,160 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon has the lower public unit-cost figure at 63,000,000 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 70/72 Fighting Falcon has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II has the higher combat radius at 1,240 km.
Is the Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon better than the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II? +
On the public specs we track, the Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 70/72 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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